Unexplainable

by goodgawddallas (topmagtiger)

Summary:

The worst thing about falling in love is that it can happen to anyone at any given time. It's something that comes out of nowhere and can leave someone completely blindsided, with no real plan of action.

After a horrible marriage left Jolene Milford terrified of love and relationships, finding someone that she wanted to share her heart with was at the bottom of her priority list. When she met Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, the three instantly formed an unbreakable bond of friendship that would keep all of them afloat.

Sex was never something that Jolene, Scott, or Kevin put much thought into. It was fun, usually quick, and care-free; at least, that was what it started as. However, things never go according to plan once emotions are added into the mix.

[Scott Hall x Original Character x Kevin Nash ; Mid-Nineties WCW setting]

Chapter 1: this blood runs fuckin' deep

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

"When the fuck are they going to be back? It's been what, an hour and a half? How long does it take to get some fuckin' booze?" I look up at Kev as he speaks, obviously a bit frustrated with the fact that Scott and Kid aren't back yet. I don't blame him.

At least we didn't have to work tonight, right?

When we got to the hotel a couple of hours ago, Scott and Kid offered to go stock up on supplies for the next few days: booze, snacks, the usual shit, you know? Kev and I stayed here and, as usual, we ended up fucking. We just finished the second round of it, actually.

"They probably found a couple of chicks who'd let them get their dicks wet." I shrug before sitting up and motioning over to the nightstand beside of Kev. "Smokes, please."

Kev hands me my cigarettes and my lighter as he laughs, sending me a grin. "I wouldn't fuckin' doubt it. But they could've just brought them back here or fucked 'em after they dropped off the drinks."

"You're right." I giggle as I pop one of the cigarettes into my mouth and light it up. "Surely they'll be back before too much longer." I mutter as I grab a nearly empty water bottle from beside of the bed to flick my ashes into.

"I hope so."

Kev gets out of bed and picks up the boxers and Outsiders tee that he'd been wearing earlier. After he slips on his boxers, he tosses the shirt to me; I catch it with my hand that isn't holding my cigarette and sit it beside of me.

As I watch Kev walk over to the window and peak out of it, I'm find myself reminded more and more of how grateful I am that he's back in WCW. He and Scott have been back for, what, about five months now? It's so nice, it really is.

I missed them. I missed them a lot. After all, Scott was gone for about four years and Kev was gone roughly three. I mean, yes, we all did hang out some while they were in the WWF. Hell, on one instance I was even able to meet Shawn Michaels and Hunter Hearst Helmsley! I met Kid that night, too. There's just a large difference between being able to see your friends on a regular basis and mainly having to communicate with them via phone call because their schedule is hectic.

Once I finish my cigarette, I put it out in the water bottle that I'd been using. I slide on Kev's shirt before grabbing my cigarettes and lighter and standing up. After dropping my smoking materials on the desk, I take a seat in the chair that was pushed under it.

"I say we give 'em thirty minutes. If they're not back by then-"

"Hey guys! We're back! We got the good shit, too!"

Kev is interrupted by Kid's enthusiastic greeting. He and Scott come waltzing into the room with bags upon bags of booze, snacks, and god-knows-what else. They sit half of the bags on the desk and half of them in the floor beside of it.

"How many times did you two bang while we were gone?" Scott asks as he snags a beer and sends both Kev and I a grin. "Three? Four?"

"Just a couple." I reply with a grin of my own. "How many times did you two get laid?"

"Ah, once or twice." Kid laughs as he digs into a few of the bags. "Here you go, Joli." He mutters as he hands me a couple of packs of cigarettes. I jokingly blow him a kiss and he laughs even more. Kid then grabs a couple of bottles and hands one to me and one to Kev, who is now sitting on the edge of our bed and facing towards Scott.

"Thanks, Kid. So, what do you guys want to get into tonight? We've probably got all the sex out of our systems for now." Kev looks around at all of us as he grins.

"I can't think of anything in particular I'd like to do. What about you guys?" I reply with a shrug as I pop the top off of my drink.

"What time have we got to go do shit tomorrow?" Kid asks as he opens his beer. "It's not early, right?"

"Not early all. So really, we can do whatever the fuck we want tonight." Scott replies with a grin.

Kid takes a long drink before jumping onto his side of their bed and laughing. "Then why don't we just get fuckin' wasted? We'll be fine by tomorrow, right?"

"We always are." I giggle.

"Bottoms fuckin' up." Kev raises his bottle as he smirks. We all mutter some sort of cheer before raising our drinks up as well.

We begin drinking and before I know it, I'm on Scott and Kid's bed on my knees, leaning over Kid's shoulder with my arms around his neck. Scott and Kev are standing between the two beds, leaning against each other and telling us the coolest story of all.

"... you remember that, don't you, Kid? When Shawn nearly got knocked out by that damn tree?" Kev laughs as he talks.

"Shit man, yeah! He went to pick the damn thing up and when he did, the other one that was like, perched against it, nearly fuckin' crushed him!" Kid turns to look between Scott, Kev, and myself as he speaks excitedly.

"I swear, Joli, it was wild. After Shawn gets out of the way and the tree breaks beside of him, Paul hauls his ass out of the car and helps him move it. Keep in mind, it's like fuckin', two in the morning? We're on this tiny ass road and there's not any sort of light aside from our headlights for miles." Scott pauses for a moment as he thinks before patting Kev's shoulder once he realizes what he wanted to say. "And then there was that fuckin' owl!"

"Owl?" I question as I grip onto Kid's shirt. This shit is intense. Kev nods with a smirk before replying.

"Oh yeah. Paul and Shawn move the fuckin' trees and as they go to get back in the car, this owl comes flying in from no where and smacks Paul in the side of the head. Paul gets knocked into Shawn, Shawn gets knocked into the car, and the car gets this big dent in the door." Kev then laughs and points at Kid with his drink. "And what did you do, Kid?"

"I jumped out of my damn seat!" Kid pats the bed beside of him as I hang onto his every word. "It was my door he fuckin' slammed in to! I was half asleep, then it was like, bam! There's Shawn! I almost punched my damn window out."

"I missed all of the fun shit, didn't I? Wow." I slump back on the bed and scoot over to where I'm leaning against the headrest before crossing my legs. "Were things always that crazy while you guys were in the WWF?"

"Most of the time. We got into so much shit with Paul and Shawn." Scott laughs before taking a long drink. "But it's super nice to be back here, you know? We have our fun."

"Hell yeah we do." Kev sits his drink down on the nightstand before walking over and lifting me off of Scott and Kid's bed and gently slamming me onto ours. I can't help but giggle as the quick motion sweeps a wave of air over me and knocks the shirt of his that I'm wearing up some.

"Joli boobs!" Kid cheers with a loud laugh as Scott sits down beside of him, knocking him on the head jokingly. "What? I've never really seen 'em before!"

"I can't guarantee it'll be the last time." I giggle as I roll over to my side of the bed and burrow under the sheets. "Shit happens."

"Hey, whatever man. I don't care. It's not like we're bangin'." Kid grabs another bottle from the floor beside of the bed and cracks it open. "We've all pretty much seen each other naked before! I mean, I don't think you've seen me naked, Joli, but that's whatever."

I shrug and pull the sheets up over my shoulder while I turn on my side, facing the guys. Kev has moved to sit at the foot on our bed, on his side.

"If I can't be comfortable with you three, who can I be comfortable with?" I smile, looking around and my three friends.

"We'll always be here for each other. This blood runs fuckin' deep." Scott grins and throws up a too sweet. He then nudges Kid to do the same, and within seconds, we're all four holding a hand in the air and doing their famous gesture. Kev and I too sweet one another while Scott and Kid do the same.

"That's what this all about. Friends, money, booze, and kickin' some fuckin' ass in the ring." Kev states with a smile as he grabs his drink off of the nightstand. "You want another, babe?"

"Nah." I reply, watching as he takes another drink.

"You sure?" Kev asks over his shoulder. I hesitate for a moment, licking my lips as I weigh my options.

I've probably had too much to drink at this point, so my hangover tomorrow is going to be a bitch. But then again, we really don't have to be out that early...

"... Oh, hell. Give me one."

Kev laughs as he grabs me a bottle and opens it up, muttering with obvious amusement, "That's what I thought," as he passes it to me.

"Thank you Kev." I reply with a content sigh as I sit back up and press the welcoming bottle to my lips.

This is the good shit.

As I continue to drink and listen to my favorite people talk, I can't help but smile. My life is fuckin' great.

Chapter 2: the way shit goes

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

I groan as light fills the room, shining right about where my head lays. My eyes are squinted as they adjust to the brightness, but I see Scott sitting up on the edge of his and Kid's bed, rubbing his face.

Fuck, my head hurts.

"Time to get up?" I ask, clearing my throat.

"Yeah. It's like, fuck, ten in the morning? Goddamn, we drunk too much last night." Scott mutters as he forces himself out of the bed. "C'mon, Kid."

"I'm up, man. I'm up." Kid tries to push himself up, but he ends up falling out of bed. I can't help but laugh as he smacks into the side of the wall. "Fuck!" Kid hisses in pain as he lays on the ground, not even trying to get up. Scott grabs his hand and pulls him out of the floor, though.

I stand up and rip the sheets off Jolene, a smirk coming to my lips as I look down at her slightly-exposed ass. The way she's laying, the shorts that she had slept in had slid down a little, giving me small view of her buns.

"Hey Joli!" I smack her ass with a grin. "Get your hot little lazy ass up."

"Fuck off, Nash." Joli tries to grab a nearby pillow to throw at me, but I snatch it away from her before she gets the chance to get it. "Kev." She's whining, and I don't really blame her.

"I know you're hungover, babe, but come on. We've got shit to do." I gently shake her back to help get her moving, watching as her ass jiggles. I know very well if I don't stop scanning over Joli's ass, I'm going to get hard. I mean, shit, I'm already getting there.

"I know we've got shit to do. We always have shit to do. But what is it today?" Jolene reluctantly sits up, subconsciously fixing the shirt so that she's a bit more covered.

As she brushes her hair out of her eyes, she looks around the room. Her eyes land on me for a moment and I watch as her gaze flicks down to my semi-erect cock, since it wasn't that easy to hide. Not that I fuckin' care if Joli knows my cock's hard, I mean, shit, if she's interested in taking care of it...

"We've got some vignettes to record, right? Meet up with Hulk, shoot some shit?" I ask Scott, who's currently downing some Motrin to get rid of his headache. We all drank way too fuckin' much last night.

"Yeah, that's it. We don't have to be there until three, though, which is nice." Scott sits back down on his bed and starts running his hands through his hair. "Who wants the first shower?"

"I'll take it." I reply instantly as one of my hands goes over my junk, palming it for just a second. Fuck, I've got to take care of this. I then walk over to my bag and grab a change of clothes. "You want to join me, Joli?" I glance over my shoulder at her before grabbing my deodorant.

"Ah, why not?" Joli replies after a moment before getting up and grabbing clothes for herself.

"Jeez, you two never fuckin' stop, do you?" Scott laughs and grins. "You're like rabbits."

"At least they use protection. Shit man, can you imagine how many kids they'd have by now if they didn't?" Kid laughs. "Well, you know, if it didn't take people like 9 months to have a baby."

"Wise words, Kid. Wise words." Scott thumps Kid on the head as Kid sits down beside of him. "Since you guys will probably be in there a while, we'll go grab some lunch. Just don't take too long, all right?" Scott then winks at us and wiggles his eyebrows.

I wrap an arm around Jolene's waist and shrug at Scott and Kid as we walk towards the bathroom. Once we're inside the bathroom, I close the door and sit our clothes and deodorant on the back of the toilet while she turns on the water.

"Thanks for coming in here with me." Fuck, my cock is hard. As Jolene takes my shirt and the shorts that she'd been wearing off, I slip my hand under my boxers and wrap my fingers around my cock. "You know I never get tired of that hot little body of yours."

Joli smirks back at me and motions for me to go on into the shower. I pump my cock a couple of times before sliding off my shorts and boxers and getting in, bracing one of my arms against the side of the shower. There isn't really enough room for both of us in here, but fuck it. I don't care and neither does she.

Once she gets into the shower, Joli squats down so that she's on her knees right in front of me. Fuck, I'm ready for this. The warm water from the shower sprays down on my back as Jolene takes my hard, twitching cock into her mouth and starts sucking on it. I reach my free hand down and tightly grab a handful of her hair, just the way she likes it. The way she moans against my shaft has my head slammed back against the shower wall in seconds.

"Goddamn, Joli, you always know just how to get me off." I hold her head in place and thrust into a couple of times, smirking as she chokes on my cock. Like the trooper she is, Jolene takes my whole length with a sexy little smile.

When I feel myself getting close, I let Joli know and relax against the side of the shower, since I definitely don't want to fuckin' fall on her. Oh god, but when I cum, she takes my entire fuckin' load without a single complaint. I can barely keep my eyes open, but I'm able to see her lick the cum off her lips and wipe her mouth.

"I'll never get over the weird taste cum has when you've been drinking." Jolene chuckles and kisses my tip before standing up and leaning against the other side of the shower.

"Fuckin' hell, you give one damn good blowjob." I mutter, shooting her a groggy smirk. "You never disappoint, babe."

"I mean, you could always pay me back for it." Jolene's 'innocent' voice wouldn't fool anyone. She grabs my hand and leads it down towards her vag, and without a moments hesitation, I shove a couple of fingers up into her tight walls.

I keep Joli steadied with an arm around her waist while I continue to finger fuck her. She's moaning like crazy while her nails dig into my back. It's always good to return a nice little sexual act, you know? If your girl who isn't technically your girl gives you some good fuckin' head, you can at least get her off with your damn fingers.

As Joli reaches her high, I slow my finger thrusts down and help her ride it out. I don't think I'll ever not love the look on Joli's face as absolute pleasure washes over her. I suck her juices off my fingers as she regains her breath and composure.

"Okay, I'm good." Jolene's voice is a little shaky as she grabs one of the little bottles of shampoo and hands it to me. My hair is soaked by this point, so I scoot out of her way and let her finish wetting hers.

I soap up my hair and body before passing the bottle and soap bar to Jolene. We trade places once more and once she's done with her shower, she turns off the water. I hand her a towel before grabbing one for myself and getting out of the shower.

"You think Scott and Kid are back yet?" I ask as I dry off and apply my deodorant. "I'm pretty damn hungry."

"I doubt they've made it back this soon. I don't think we've been in here that long." I nod in agreement as Jolene and I get dressed.

I can't help but watch in somewhat amazement as she pulls on her jeans and adjusts the nWo shirt she's wearing today. Goddamn, she's beautiful, no matter what she's doing. Wow. Jolene soon catches me staring though, and sends me a little smile.

"What?" Joli asks with obvious amusement.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how you're the only one that really makes our black and white color scheme look good." I grin as she simply laughs in return.

Once we're fully dressed, we exit the bathroom and Joli goes to dry her hair. Although her hair is shorter than mine, I never bother with a hair dryer, despite Joli trying to convince me otherwise. It makes a difference when she lets her hair air dry, but I've never noticed anything with mine; besides, why the fuck would I waste my time with that sort of thing?

Once her hair is dried and styled, Jolene instantly heads over to the nightstand and grabs her lighter and her cigarettes, popping one of them out of the case and into her mouth. I sit down on the bed as she takes a seat in the uncomfortable ass office chair and lights a smoke.

I can tell by the way she's sitting that her hangover headache has returned (I'm sure the hair dryer didn't help), so I reach over and grab the bottle of Motrin that Scott had been using earlier. Jolene's got one elbow resting on the arm of the chair and she's using that free hand to hold her head.

"Hey, catch." I wait until she's ready to throw her the bottle of Motrin, and once she's got it I lean back against the headboard. Thank God we're already in the area for Nitro tomorrow and don't have to change hotels today. Once we're done with Hulk later, we'll all need to just fuckin' chill.

I don't know how long it actually takes for Scott and Kid to get back, because I'm too busy just shootin' shit with Joli. One of the best things about being back in WCW is getting to hang out with her. I mean, fuck, the money is amazing. The schedule is perfect! But I missed Joli when I was in the WWF. She's irreplaceable.

"Here's your food." Kid drops a bag of food in front of me and I'm digging into as soon as it touches the bed. I look up and see Joli doing the same thing with the food Scott brought her.

"Hey, you mind if I take the next shower?" Kid asks as Scott goes to sit down.

"Nah, man. You can go ahead." Scott pats Kid's back before plopping down on their bed and stretching out.

Kid grabs his clothes and heads into the bathroom while Joli and I eat. Scott tilts his head towards us so that we can all talk.

"You guys as hungover as I am?" Scott asks with a small laugh.

"Without a fuckin' doubt." Jolene replies immediately, sending Scott a smile. "My head is killing me."

"No, your head kills me." I couldn't miss an opportunity like that, could I? Scott and I laugh as Jolene smirks smugly, sending me a wink. "I'm not as hungover as you guys, though. My head fuckin' hurts, yeah, but it's not too bad."

"Rough. At least we'll have time to kick it before Nitro tomorrow." Scott sighs and stretches out. "That's something."

"Unless you two get called in early tomorrow morning to work on shit. It wouldn't be the first time." Jolene sighs and frowns.

"It's just the way shit goes around here. Can't really complain with this nice ass schedule, though." I shrug before continuing to eat.

"That's true. Hauling our assess out early in the AM a couple of days a week is better than being on the road nonstop." Scott agrees.

"That was always the fuckin' worst." I scoff before returning my attention to my meal.

Once Joli is done eating, she heads over to one of the mirrors and starts doing her makeup. I've always thought it's such a weird thing to watch, really. I mean, some chicks look completely different after they've done their makeup; that's not necessarily the case with Joli, though. Or maybe it is, but I'm just around her too much to notice much of a difference. Who knows?

By the time we arrive at the arena to shoot the vignettes, Hulk and Eric are already sitting around, waiting on us. I check the clock in the room as we walk in though; it's only about 2:30, so we're early. There shouldn't be any fuckin' complaints from anyone.

"Hey! Let's go ahead and get started, shall we? Kevin, Scott, get up there with Hulk. We'll get Hulk's stuff out of the way first, since the rest of you have quite a few to shoot. Jolene, Sean, you can just wait around." Eric motions for Scott and I to step forward as he says our names, and as he tells Joli and Kid to sit back, he gives them little waves.

It takes about an hour to shoot all our stuff with Hulk, and once he's done, he says quick goodbyes to all of us before heading out. You know, I've grown to like Hulk quite a bit over the past few months. He's not too bad a guy once you get to know him.

Since we've got a lot to do today, we go straight from the Hulk vignettes into the next set. Some of them are of Scott, Kid, and I, some of them are of me, Scott, and Joli. It goes in every possible combination, or just about it. Joli even got to shoot her first solo vignette since joining up with us, which was really damn cool. There's just something about watching your friends do their shit that can bring a smile to your face.

"Nice work today, everyone. You all did very well, especially considering how hungover I'm sure you all are." Eric smiles at all of us once we've wrapped up for the day. "You're all very talented."

"If that's all you need from us today, we'll be heading on out." Scott laughs as he jokingly taps Eric's chest. "Plan on getting some rest before Nitro tomorrow."

"Not too much. I expect you two here bright and early in the morning to help go over scripts and all that fun stuff. We can make sure all of the vignettes look great, the usual things." Eric looks between Scott and I before he pats Scott's shoulder. When Scott gives a dejected half-smile in return, Eric laughs. "Would you like a wake-up call?"

"Only if you're buying us some fuckin' breakfast, too." I laugh and so does Scott. Eric laughs along, but I know he's not amused. Our smart-ass humor usually ticks him, even if he acts like he enjoys it.

"Anything extra you need from us?" Kid asks, pointing at himself and Joli. Eric shakes his head, looking between the two of them for just a moment. His gaze lingers on Joli for a second and I can't help but roll my eyes; she contributes a lot more than damn good looks, but I don't think he sees that.

"See you all tomorrow!" Eric waves and we all mutter some sort of farewell. We're back in the car in no time, with me in the driver's seat and Jolene beside of me. Even though she just lit a cigarette up as soon as we exited the building, she's basically done with it by the time I start driving.

"I know you don't like Eric, but you all right, Joli?" I ask as I spare a quick glance in her direction, as I can't really take my eyes off of the road for too long.

"Eric's just aggravating. He's no problem." Joli laughs before taking another drag on her smoke. "I'm fine though. It's nothing."

"Don't let her lie, guys. It's something." Kid pipes up, and from the rear-view I notice that he's pouting. "When you guys were working with Hulk, Joli had to go call some lady. She came back looking all frustrated like that."

"Not fair, Kid! I couldn't hide it from you, because you were right there." Joli mutters as she drops her finished cigarette out the window.

"Hide what? We don't do secrets, Joli. You can trust us." Scott pats Jolene's shoulder as I stop for a red light. "Is it something shitty? Because we can handle shitty news."

"We're all pretty used to shitty news at this point in our lives." I laugh, trying to give Joli some sort of reassurance. I see her give a small smile before the light turns green.

"I trust you guys more than anything. You're my favorite people." Joli's quiet for a moment before she lets out a heavy sigh. "Okay, fuck it. I got invited to a high school reunion."

"What?" Scott, Kid, and I all blurt out at the same time.

"How long has it been since you were in high school? It's been, what..."

"12 years. Well, nearly 13. I don't know, the whole thing is fuckin' weird." Jolene cuts Kid off before laughing awkwardly. "I don't get it. I mean, a group of women I went to school were on the phone, and they tried explaining it to me. Something about them desperately wanting all of us back together for our tenth anniversary, but that not working out? It's as convoluted to me as it is to you."

The whole thing sounds fuckin' ridiculous to me, but it's obvious Joli's not too keen on it either.

"I take it you don't want to go? I mean, I don't blame you, but has it got you all out of sorts?" I ask, trying to figure this whole thing out.

"I mean, it's next weekend, so it's not like I'm not free. It's just..." Joli sighs. "Why would I even want to bother? What's the point of going back to my hometown to see a bunch of people I've not talked to in years?"

"Thrill of the experience, I guess. I wouldn't be too interested if I were you." I shrug. "Sounds like it's just something lame they're trying to put together last minute."

There's something, some reason as to why she doesn't want to go. Joli seemed too upset about it when we started talking about it for her to be simply confused or annoyed at the idea.

"Do you have any interest in going?" Scott questions, making Joli shrug.

"Yes and no. It could be a lot of fun, but it's more likely that it'd just be a big, boring waste of time."

"What if I went with you?" I quickly glance at Scott from the rear-view while Joli turns her head around to look at him. "If things get to be too lame, we can just bail and go find something else to do."

"You'd seriously go with me to that shit show?" Joli sounds a bit relieved, so that's good.

"Of course. Besides, I don't want to miss a nice opportunity to watch little Joli get all dressed up." Scott chuckles and so does Joli.

I guess that settles that, then. I just hope Joli doesn't have too bad of a time while they're there.

Chapter 3: reunion from hell

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"Scott? Thank you for coming with me tonight. I actually really appreciate it."

I glance over at Jolene as I drive, sending her a grin. Tonight's going to be fuckin' weird, without a doubt. I mean, it's the night of her 12 year high school reunion. Like really, who does that shit?

At least it gets her out of a 15 year reunion, right?

"You know it's not a problem, babe. It gives us a chance to spend some time together like we used to. I don't think we've really gone out and done much just the two of us since I came back to WCW."

"It's not the most fun thing we could be doing, but hopefully we'll have a nice time. I'm excited to spend some time with you." Jolene reaches into the cup holder and grabs her cigarettes and her lighter. She places a cigarette in her mouth before saying, "I just hope those little shits I went to high school with have grown up some. Most of them were absolute idiots."

"I'm sure it won't be too bad. We can always leave if it becomes too much." I assure as she lights her smoke and cracks the window. "Besides, you look fuckin' great tonight."

Joli's wearing this beautiful dark blue dress with a pair of heels and some nice little bracelets. Her hair and makeup aren't done any differently than she normally does them, but from head to toe, she's stunning.


"You don't look too bad yourself." Joli giggles and I can't help but smile. I've missed this personal time with her.

I'm glad that she and Kev are so close! I really am. We're a tight little group and I'm fuckin' grateful for that. It's just, this is a whole lot fun, you know? Joli and I have been chilling with just each other for the past day and a half. I've been staying at her house with her and we've been preparing for this shindig.

I've just really been reminded of why Joli and I became such good friends in the first place. I'm glad to have to time like this to spend with her.

We soon arrive at the old high school and it's already packed. I park the car and get Joli's door for her, like a gentleman. I offer Joli my arm and once she places her hands on the upper part of it, we start walking towards the entrance.

"I thought we'd be early. You said this thing didn't start until 7." I glance over at Joli as I speak. She looks absolutely stunning, but I can see some unease on her pretty little face. "How big was your fuckin' class?"

"Big enough." Joli seems to be gripping onto my arm a little tightly. Is she okay?

"Remember babe, just let me know the moment you want to scoot out of here. You don't owe anyone here a moment of your time."

"I know. Thank you." Joli sends me a smile and I try to believe she's completely okay with this.

At no point did Joli ever truly want to come to this. I had just assumed that she thought it was a hassle, because let's face it, it is, but it doesn't seem like that is necessarily the case. She's somewhat uncomfortable by just being here, but I don't know why. Did she have some shitty experiences in high school? Or is someone she doesn't like going to be here?

I don't know, but if anyone fucks with her, they're making the wrong choice. Joli is safe with me.

We sign in at the door at it seems like as soon as we're inside, people start flocking to Joli. It's a lot of, "Hey, how have you been?" and "I've missed you so much!"

After Joli has pacified a few of her former classmates, we manage to sneak into the main area, where the food and booze is set up. Joli scans the area for a moment before leading me over to the tables of drinks and instantly grabbing one of the glasses of wine.

"You okay, babe?" I know she's not, but I've got to ask.

"Of course, Scott. I definitely am. I'm just, uh, really thirsty, that's all."

Jolene Milford does realize that she can't blatantly lie to me like that at this point in our friendship, right? I see right through her. Instead of giving her a sarcastic reply about how she literally could've had any type of drink, but she chose an alcoholic one at six in the evening, I just nod and grab a bottle of water instead.

I don't particularly want to stay completely sober tonight, but if Joli is already drinking, what choice do I have?

"You want to sit down? You look damn hot, but I don't imagine standing in those heels all night is going to be much fun."

Joli smiles and agrees before leading us over to one of the tables that were set up. More and more people start to file into the room as it gets closer to seven, and with each person that walks in, I see Jolene grow a bit more anxious. What is she waiting for?

"Holy shit! You're Scott Hall! Babe! Babe! Come look at Jolene's new husband! It's Scott Hall!"

I had nearly spaced out when I hear a woman frantically calling to who I assume is her husband. The woman is obviously ecstatic to see me, so I take the toothpick from my mouth and flick it at her.

"Hey yo."

As the woman swoons, Jolene can't help but giggle. I send Joli a grin as I take out another toothpick from behind my ear and place it into my mouth.

"My wife is a huge fan." The woman's husband reaches out a hand as he smiles at me. I chuckle and shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Likewise." I turn so that I can face the couple better; they're obviously not the source of Joli's anxiety, based on her reaction to them, so I might as well be as nice as I can be, right?

"I'm just so excited that I'm actually getting to meet you. I mean, I know you and Jolene have worked together on television a lot, but I never would've expected our little Jolene Milford to be married to-"

"We're not married, actually." Jolene pipes in, smiling at her former classmate. "I'm still completely single. Scott is one of my best friends, though."

The woman seems completely shocked by Jolene's words. She looks between the two of us before shaking her head, looking like she's a bit disappointed.

"That's a shame, Jolene. That's a real shame. I bet you two would make some really pretty babies." I fuckin' choke on the water I had just started to drink and Jolene's face goes red. She's probably not wrong, but I'm surprised the lady actually pointed that out!

"Babe! Don't say that." The woman's husband seems to be a bit flustered by his wife's words, like Joli and I are. "I'm sorry, Scott and Jolene."

"No problem." I laugh; it's all in good fun, right?

"Are you really still single though, Jolene? Have you tried to get into any relationship? You've been divorced for about seven years now and you're working in a company filled with wonderful guys. I honestly thought you would've been married again by now, since things with-"

"One day." Jolene's reply is completely devoid of all emotions. She downs the rest of her wine before standing up and grabbing my hand. "It was fun seeing you, Paula. Nice to catch up."

The couple send an awkward expression before waving and slinking away. I stand up and wrap my arm around Joli's shoulders while she leads us back over to the alcohol.

What was that about? Is it Joli's ex that she doesn't want to see? I mean, shit, I knew she had been married before, but I didn't hear about that from her; I heard that from Dallas one day. Hell, he'd heard it from Kimberly. None of us have ever heard anything about her marriage, though. She's obviously not going to blabber on about something that didn't work like that, but I've literally never even heard her even mention it.

I don't get it, but I'm not going to pressure her about that, especially not right now. Once Joli has her refill, I lead her over into one of the corners and lean against the wall, still with my arm around her. One of the ladies, who I'm assuming helped plan this thing, is on the stage and blabbering about how they're going to start blasting music and playing games and shit like that, but I'm not really paying attention to her. I'm more concerned about my little Joli.

"If you want to leave, babe, just say the word. We'll dart the fuck out of here and never look back." I have to lean over so that I can whisper into Joli's ear, otherwise I don't think she could hear me. My voice seems to momentarily startle her, as if she were in her own world.

"No, I'm okay. I'll be fine. It's just..." Joli trails off and gives a nervous chuckle. "No, don't worry about it."

I don't really believe that she's okay, not for a second, but what can I do? She already didn't want to come, and now that she's here, she's obviously worried out of her mind. Should I just tell Joli that we're leaving and usher her out? Ah fuck, I don't know.

Joli and I stay in the corner for a while. Any time anyone comes over, I take over most of the talking for her. I mean, I don't know any of these people and their names all run together in my mind, but it's better than forcing Joli to do it when she really doesn't feel like it. So many of these people seemed to be convinced that we're together, it's crazy. I literally had some guy whisper in my ear that I was lucky to be fucking the girl he had a crush on all throughout high school.

I mean, I punched him pretty hard in the arm, but I was nice. Kinda.

After a couple of hours, Joli is pretty plastered. She's not flinging her clothes off or anything, but she's definitely found a way to calm herself down. You know, that's one of the things I've always liked about Joli; she didn't get herself completely shitfaced, even though she most definitely wanted to. Joli's not going to make a fool of herself.

A big dance is started inside as Jolene and I head back out to the car for a moment. She grabs herself a cigarette and lights it before leaning against the car and looking towards the sky. I cross my arms over my chest and stand beside of her.

"Scott, you're the fuckin' best, you know that, don't you?" Jolene's voice is slurred as all hell, but I understand her clearly. She wraps an arm around me and gives me a small hug before returning to her cigarette. "Thank you for coming with me tonight."

"I'll always do anything I can for you, babe. You know that." I smile down at Joli, but I can't help but wonder if it was even worth it to come tonight. She seemed to have a decent enough time when we got here, but ever since we talked to that couple and they mentioned her ex-husband, she's been kind of numb.

"Thank you."

We're getting ready to go back inside when Jolene spots someone that makes her freeze in her tracks. It's a blonde-haired woman who's just a tad bit taller than Joli and walks over to us the moment she and Joli make eye contact. I quickly glance down at my hand as Joli grabs it, squeezing it tightly.

Who the fuck is this chick?

"Oh, Jolene, it's great to see you!" Bullshit. I'm not buying into this for a moment. "I'm just so glad that you could make it! It's been, what, six years since you've graced this little town with your presence? You've been off and busy though, haven't you?"

"I have been busy, Jenny. Very fuckin' busy." Jolene's nails are digging into my hand, so in an attempt to soothe her more, I pry my hand away and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her in close.

"Oh, I know! You're busy strutting around and doing some shit in the wrestling world, aren't you?" Jenny smirks before looking over at me, extending one of her hands towards me. "So, are you Jolene's new little toy? Great! They'd told me that she'd gotten herself a wrestler, but I didn't realize she'd gotten such a handsome one."

I don't reply to Jenny, I just look down at her hand and roll my eyes.

"Come on, Joli. We're leaving." I hate to tell her what to do, but being around this bitch isn't going to be good for either of us.

Joli's really tense, but she doesn't seem to protest. She raises a middle finger to Jenny before we both turn to get in the car. However, Jenny fuckin' stops us, because of course she does.

"Jolene! Wait! Don't leave! I would really love it if you met my fiance!"

As some dude with a full head of dark hair comes walking towards us, I hear Joli mutter a faint, "Fuck. No. Fuck this."

"Jolene! It's been too fuckin' long, ain't it? How long's it been since you left me? Six, seven years?"

Before the fucker gets a chance to get close to Jolene, I help her into the car. She's fuckin' shaking. This is her ex-husband, isn't it?

"Listen, Jolene's not feeling well. I'm going to have to ask you step back and excuse us." I'm not going to let these pieces of shit walk all over Joli like that. I literally don't know anything about these two other than the fact that she doesn't like them; I don't need to know anything else.

"Ah! Okay! So you're the new guy!" The dude smirks and throws his hands up to the side. "Nice to fuckin' meet ya, jackass. I'm Thomas."

"I'm the jackass? Really? I can't believe that." I laugh in the Thomas' face.

"Let me talk to her! It's been years!" Thomas tries to walk closer to Joli, but I step between them and glare at the little cocksucker. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I'm the guy who's going to kick your fuckin' ass if you don't back up and get away from this car."

Thomas hesitates for a moment and looks me over. He really doesn't want to fuckin' try this shit with me. He realizes that and steps back, muttering profanities under his breath. Jenny seems to be a bit pissed at his weak spine, but I can't help but laugh at it as I get into the car.

I flip the two off as I drive away, wanting to get as far away from the school as possible. Jolene's leaning against the passenger side door, looking out the window. I place a hand on one of hers, trying to give her some soft of comfort.

Jolene takes one look at me and bursts into tears. I pull over on the side of the road and park the car so that I can pull her as close as possible and let her cry into my chest. My poor little Joli, what did those fuckers do to you? I wish you'd tell me, but I know you won't. Not now.

"It's all right, Joli, babe. I'm here, okay? I took care of it." I soothe as I rub her back, gently kissing the top of her head.

This woman is one of the strongest people I've ever met. Over the time I've known her, I've never once seen anything upset her like this, to the point where she's been having a full-on breakdown. I've seen her cry before. She cried when I left for the WWF. She cried when I got back to WCW. She cried when I bought her a pack of cigarettes once at like three in the morning after she spent several days trying to quit smoking.

But this? This is completely different.

Once she's cried all she can, Jolene looks up at me and I wipe the tears from her cheeks. She pulls me down and places the most loving kiss I've ever gotten from her upon my lips, but I don't think much of it. I can't. She's not in the right state of mind.

"Thank you for that. I'm so sorry." Joli gives me one big hug before grabbing another cigarette and lighting it up. "Let's just... Let's go home, okay?"

I gently ruffle Joli's hair before turning the car back on and cracking her window. As I begin the couple of hour drive back to Joli's place, I can't help my thoughts from racing.

What the fuck did Thomas and Jenny do to her? I've seen Jolene stand up to some of the biggest, most intimidating guys in our business without batting an eye; yet, some tiny motherfucker comes up and starts running his mouth and that breaks her? That's not right. He's hurt her way too fuckin' much.

Once she's done with her cigarette, Joli curls up in her seat and drifts off into sleep. I turn the radio on low and drive us on back. When we get to Joli's house, I park the car, turn it off, and help get Joli out of her seat.

I get her into the house and take her shoes off before taking her to her bed and making sure that she's comfortable and safe under the sheets. I then walk into the connected bathroom and grab the shorts and muscle tee I'd worn last night. After I change into them, I turn off the light and slip into bed with Joli.

As I'm laying there, about to fall asleep, Joli snuggles closer to me and I wrap my arms around her, making sure that she knows I'm here for here for. Of course, she's snoring softly so she's completely out of it.

I'll do anything I can for this woman, no matter fuckin' what. No one is ever going to hurt Joli like Jenny and Thomas ever again. I'm just glad we both managed to get through this reunion from hell.

Chapter 4: an emotional rollercoaster

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

For the third morning in a row, I wake up in Scott's arms and not Kev's. They're both so warm and nice to lay with, you know? I've gotten so used to sleeping with Kev that I forgot how good of a cuddle buddy Scott is.

I slip out of Scott's sleepy hold and sit up on the bed, pushing my hair out of my face. I feel a lot better today, after being hungover as hell yesterday. It's nice. The reunion was a complete mess; no, I was the mess, wasn't I? I probably gave too much credit to myself by thinking I would be totally fine there, in all honesty.

I knew that Jenny would be a problem. She's been a fuckin' problem since high school. I knew I could handle her, just like I always did. But Thomas? I had hoped that he actually wouldn't show up. Fuckin' piece of shit. If I had never had to see his ugly mug again, it would've been too damn soon.

After I slide on my house shoes, I head to the bathroom. Once I'm finished in there, I grab my cigarettes and my lighter off of the nightstand. As I walk out to my back porch, I take a cigarette out of its box and place it in my mouth. I sit down in one of my little chairs and light my cigarette up once I make it outside.

You can definitely tell that it's autumn. It's chilly out here this morning.

When I go back inside, I'm going to start making us something to eat. Scott made us breakfast yesterday because I felt so damn horrible, and this is my house, so it's the least I can do.

I'm very grateful for Scott, more so than he could ever imagine. I don't know what I would've done without him at that shit show. I let Thomas and the mere thought of him get to me and I know I shouldn't have. I've moved past him and I've moved past the shit he did to me. I hadn't even really thought about him in a long time, so why did just seeing him break me?

I don't need Thomas. I never needed Thomas. For all I fuckin' care, Jenny can keep him; as long as she keeps him as far away from me as possible.

I handled things so poorly that night. I shouldn't have automatically gotten plastered off my ass, but I did. The simple mention of Thomas shouldn't have set me off, but it did.

But, Scott made sure that I was okay. He is continuing to make sure I am okay. For all his faults, Scott Hall is one of the amazing men that I've ever met and had the joy of calling my friend. I couldn't have gotten through that fuckin' high school reunion without him, I honestly believe that.

Things will be a lot better once we get back on the road tomorrow. I miss Kev, Kid, Dally, and Kim.

Once I've finished smoking, I head back into my house and make my way to the kitchen. I work on a big, hearty breakfast, because I know that's the kind of thing Scott likes. After everything is done cooking, I set the table and grab us some drinks from the fridge. As I look at the table and the meal I've prepared, I can't help but smile. This is pretty good, right?

I head back into my bedroom and walk over to Scott, who's still snoring and stretched out on the bed. I place a hand on his shoulder and shake him softly, unable to stop myself from grinning as he groans in protest.

"I made breakfast, Scott." I tell him as I step back and watch him force himself up, rubbing the side of his face.

"Oh, thanks, babe. I'll be in there in a minute, okay?" His voice is so gruff where he's just woken up; it's really hot.

"All right." I smile and watch as Scott hauls his ass out of bed and heads towards the bathroom before I go back to the kitchen and sit down at the table.

After a couple of minutes, Scott comes into the kitchen, obviously much more awake than he was when I last saw him. He waves at me with a grin as he takes a seat across from me and scans over the breakfast I made.

"Damn, you really went all-out with this, didn't you?"

"You cooked for my hungover ass yesterday. I wanted to make that up to you." I chuckle as I take a drink of the coffee I had prepared. "Enjoy."

"Thank you." Scott eyes the food, deciding what all he wants, before he starts digging in. I just sit back and watch in amusement as Scott fills his plate before I do the same.

As we eat, we don't talk all that much. It's just the normal talk you have in the morning, really. The "How'd you sleep?" and "Is there anything you'd like to do today?" that you'd expect from a breakfast conversation.

Every now and then, Scott looks up at me, and I can tell there's something he wants to say to me. In all fairness, he's probably wanting to talk about Thomas or Jenny, or maybe both of them. Yesterday, we just kind of ignored the reunion and took it easy.

I don't particularly want to talk about them, if I'm being honest. I feel like Scott deserves to know something about it, since my horrible mood must've ruined his evening, but I don't know if I'm prepared to fully talk about everything.

When we finish eating, I clear the table and Scott heads to the living room and takes a seat on the couch. Once I've done the dishes and put them away, I join Scott and sit beside of him, snuggling against his side. Scott grabs the blanket from beside of him and wraps it around us both.

After we spend a couple of minutes mindlessly watching the news channel that Scott had turned the television to, he shifts so that he's facing me more and can really see me. Oh boy. Here we go.

"Joli, babe, I really don't want to ask you anything about this, but..."

"If it's about Thomas, I'm not all that interested. I've moved past him. He's at the absolute bottom of my priority list." I lean back against the couch and cast my gaze aside. Please, just drop it.

"I know, babe... I just..." Scott sighs and I frown. I want to talk to him about this. I do. But I can't. "I'll leave it alone, okay? You don't want to talk about it and I'm not going to pressure you into it."

"Thank you." I mutter as he scoots back beside of me and I lay against him once more. "I promise you, it's nothing exciting. He was just... shit, honestly."

"I should've beat his ass when I had the chance." Scott sighs before we fall into silence once more. I hate to have snubbed him like that, but what could I do?

I don't want to end up talking about this shit and breaking down again. I trust Scott wholeheartedly but I'm not ready to talk about this, not with anyone.

We lay around most of the day and don't really accomplish much of anything. After we eat dinner, we start packing and all that shit. As I'm placing a couple of pairs of pants in my suitcase, I notice that Scott still has that curious look on his face. He deserves something, doesn't he? Some sort of explanation?

"Scott?" I continue placing my clothes in my bag and folding things as needed, not looking up to see him as I speak.

"Yeah, Joli? What is it?"

"I'm not going to explain to you why I had such a hard time seeing Thomas, not entirely. It's not something I'm comfortable talking about, not even after seven years of being free of him. But, you dealt with my emotional ass at that horrible reunion, so I'll at least tell you something about it."

Scott walks over to me and places a hand on my lower back, rubbing it softly. Just his presence alone is so comforting.

"You don't owe me anything, babe. If you don't want to tell me anything, you don't have to. I went with you the other night because I wanted to. You're one of my best friends and I had your back, simple as that."

What did I do to deserve someone as wonderful as Scott?

"I appreciate that. Really, I do. When I'm ready to fully talk about it, you will be the first person I come to." I place the last little bit of my clothing before zipping up my suitcase and taking a seat beside of it on my bed. "Thomas was shit to me in every possible way. We were married for roughly four years, starting when I was nineteen years old. He took advantage of me a lot and made feel like feces every chance he got. As soon as our divorce was finalized and I had enough money, I moved here. My own little abode."

As I study Scott's reaction, I notice that he's understandably curious as to what I meant. After all, there are countless possibilities of what it could be that Thomas did to me.

"I knew I should've kicked his ass when I saw him, but I didn't realize he'd fucked you up so bad, Joli."

It's not until one of Scott's thumbs grazes across my cheek that I realize tears have begun to flow from my eyes. Scott notices my obvious shock, as he places a soft kiss on my forehead before sitting down beside of me. I lean into his side once he wraps an arm around me.

"I... I hadn't seen him since our divorced was finalized. I mean, for a long time, I, I thought about what it would be like when we finally crossed paths again. I never wanted it to happen, but when it inevitably did, I had always imagined that I would be stronger than I was, you know? I figured I'd punch that little bitch in the mouth and walk away with a smug smile. But I didn't. I couldn't even look at him."

Scott sighs heavily as he rubs my shoulder, trying to find the right thing to say.

"I'm sorry I dumped all of this on you. It's..."

"I'm here for you, no matter what. You've not dumped anything on me at all; I'm just honored you trust me enough to tell me this much."

I smile to myself as I sit here for a moment, leaning against Scott. Noticing that a few more tears have fallen from my eyes, I wipe them away before I stand up.

"Fuckin' asshole doesn't deserve your tears, babe." Scott grins before he pulls me in for a warm hug. I'm so lucky to have him in my life.

"Thank you, Scott. Seriously." He chuckles as he places a hand on my head, gently ruffling my hair.

"I'll always be here when you need me, Joli, whether it's for some shit show in your hometown, or a nice little emotional talk, or even just a good fuck." Scott gets a mischievous little grin on his lips, one that I know oh-so-well. "I'm sort of kidding on that last part. I know you're more fond of Kev's cock nowadays."

"Oh, shut up." I playfully push Scott's chest as we both laugh. He knows how to lighten any mood and automatically cheer me up. "Let's go put our bags in the car, okay?"

As I grab my suitcase and my makeup bag, Scott gets off of the bed and grabs his bags. As he flings one of his bags over his shoulders, he shoots me an (obviously exaggerated) sad look.

"You're not even going to protest that? No, 'Stop, Scott! I still love your cock even though I'm usually riding Kev's!'"

I blow Scott a kiss as I begin leading us out of my bedroom and out to the garage, unable to wipe the amusement off of my face.

"He's the only one who's been making any moves." I reply nonchalantly, "You've not even tried to get with me since July."

I hear Scott chuckle softly from behind me as I open the door to the garage.

"So, hypothetically, if I were to make a move right now..."

I pop open the trunk and sit my bags inside of it as I watch Scott walk towards me with a smirk on his lips.

"I might just have to see where it takes us."

After Scott has placed his bags in the trunk and closed it back, he pulls me close and starts running his hands all over my body. As I tug at the hem of his shorts, both Scott and I are laughing, trying to find a reasonable place to fuck in my small little garage.

"I've missed this, Joli." Scott mutters as he begins to pull down my pajama shorts and underwear. "I really fuckin' have."

"As have I, Scott. Fuck! As have I."

These past few days have been an emotional roller coaster, but at least I've had Scott here to get me through it. I wouldn't trade our bond for anything in the world.

Chapter 5: deep, personal shit

Kevin Nash's POV


- - -

As soon as I wake up, I reach for Jolene only to realize she's not there. I mean, I should've just fuckin' known that from the start, since she told us yesterday that she'd be getting up early today to go out with Kim, but I'm used to just waking her up when I get up. It's a habit.

Looking over at the other bed, I realize that Scott and Kid aren't up yet, which is fine with me. We're going to go find some shit to do today, since Joli's gone. I don't really know where the fuck we'll end up, but whatever.

It's so quiet in this damn room, it's weird. Our group is usually raising so much hell that we never find a silent moment like this.

I rummage through my bags and grab some clothes before heading to the bathroom and turning on the shower. Once I'm done with my shower, I dry off and slip my clothes on. I exit the bathroom with my towel around my neck.

"Hey big guy, what do you want to do today?" Scott asks with a yawn as I walk back over by the beds and grab my deodorant from my bag. "We were thinking of just walkin' around town and seeing what kind of shit we can get into."

"That's fine with me. I don't really care." I reply with a shrug as I drop my deodorant back down in the bag. "Anything that gets us out of the fuckin' hotel, I'm down for."

"Sweet, man. Just give us a few minutes to get going." Kid laughs as he grabs the clothes he'd sat beside of him and darts into the bathroom. I walk over my bed and sit down at the edge of it before I start drying my hair off with the towel around my neck.

"So, what do you think Joli and Kim are up to today?" I turn my head to listen to Scott as he talks. "I don't think she said anything in particular."

"Who the hell knows with those two. They could be doing anything from shopping to sitting on their asses and talking shit. Women are complex." I grin over at Scott before taking the towel off of my shoulders and tossing it into one of the corners in the room.

"You're right." Scott laughs as he stands up and stretches, looking briefly around the room before grabbing his travel bag.

As Scott grabs his clothes and shit, I snag a hair band from the nightstand beside of me and tie my hair back. Joli said yesterday that it's actually supposed to be pretty fuckin' hot today, despite it being early November in the North.

Once Scott and Kid are dressed, we all head out of the room and to the car. I drive and Scott sits in the passenger seat.

"So, where am I taking us?" I send a quick glance towards Scott. "Y'all got anywhere particular in mind?"

"Take a couple of lefts up here and we should get to some big downtown area. We could just walk around there." Kid pipes in; I watch him motion to the upcoming signs from the rear-view mirror.

"All right. That's fine with me." I mutter as I drive on, taking the turns that Kid had instructed me on. I can't help but laugh as I listen to him gawk at the scenery and (undoubtedly) women in the area. "Keep it in your pants back there, Kid."

"What? I'm not doing anything!" Kid protests with a laugh.

"Of course you're not." Scott's obviously amused by Kid, but so am I. It can be pretty funny when Kid gets wide-eyed and interested in something on the spur of the moment.

When we get downtown, I find a huge, free parking lot and stop there. As soon as we get out of the car, a large, cool gust of wind rushes over us. It's a nice change from the hot, beating sun that's glaring down upon us.

As usual, Joli was right. It's fuckin' hot today.

We begin walking downtown and scoping out the area, trying to see what all we can get into. The city is a big place with a lot of different stores and buildings, most of which seem fairly populated. The streets aren't super-packed, but you can tell that a lot of people are in the area.

As we walk into some huge mall, we're met with a swarm of people. Some of them just want to get past us, some of them want to meet us, some of them want to fuck us. We pacify as many of our fans as we can before taking a seat in the food court area and kicking back, watching the people.

"I'm meeting one of those girls in a couple of hours, out by the dollar store down the road. Did you guys see her?" Kid's close voice tears my attention away from my mindless entertainment of observing a couple order their lunch.

"Which one, man? There were about ten chicks that I saw who were throwing themselves at us." Scott asks with a chuckle as he leans back in his chair.

"Man, there were more than ten! I counted at least, like what, twenty? How many did you count, Kev?" I raise an eyebrow at Kid, unable to stop a small grin from forming on my face.

"I wasn't paying the least bit of attention." Kid huffs at my response before laughing about it and placing his hands on the table. He leans in real close and begins to explain his soon-to-be fuck, but I'm not really listening.

I'm just honestly not that interested in these random ass hookups anymore. The thrill was there once, yeah, and I'll probably still do it again at some point. Sex is just better, at least in my opinion, when it's with someone whose body you know and who knows yours.

At least, that's my take on it. I don't know, it's just like, after being back here with Joli, I'm not interested in banging some chick I met on the corner. Huh.

"... so anyway, we've got a couple of hours to go before I have to head out and meet up with her." As Kid finishes his story, he's grinning like a little bitch and looking towards Scott and I for approval.

Scott and I both laugh, muttering some sort of encouragement for Kid's impending sexual adventure. As my eyes scan the mall, I try to come up with something halfway entertaining that we can do to kill time. I doubt Kid will want to go too far from the area, but I don't think any of us are really the biggest fans of walking around malls and shopping and all that shit. We'd probably be just as well off just watching the people and having a few drinks.

Then again, it's also no later than probably noon, so I'm not sure if that's the best course of action.

"Let's get something to eat, guys. We've not even touched any food all fuckin' day. I'm starving." Kid's got a point.

"Food sounds good to me. If the dollar store you've got to meet at is the one we passed on our way over here, then there are a few restaurants nearby it. We can crash there for a while and eat until you have to go get off." Scott jokingly taps Kid's chest before standing up.

"That's the one!" Kid replies, obviously excited, as he practically jumps out of his seat.

"All right, but you're in charge of getting back to the hotel." I thump Kid's head as I stand up, stretching my legs as I do so. "We're not waiting around on your ass all day."

"I wouldn't want you to. I'll probably hang around town after we do it, see what all I can get into." Kid laughs, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants. "Let's get going."

And so we do. We head to the restaurant and sit around for a couple of hours, killing time until Kid has his little 'date.' I miss having Joli with us, but it's nice to just spend some time with my boys. Besides, I know she and Kimberly are probably having a great time, doing whatever the fuck they're doing.

Scott and I sit around, getting refills and talking shit until we're pretty much kicked out of the place. Not the first time that's happened, not the last. When we get back to the hotel, I kick my shoes off and flop down on my bed.

"Hey, Kev?" I look over at Scott as he sits at the edge of his bed, untying his shoes. "You know much about Joli's life before WCW? Like, anything about before she met Dallas?"

Scott's question takes me by surprise. I've known Joli for what, five years now? I've never really put much thought into what her life was like before she got into this business, before we met her.

"No," I admit as I take my hair down, sitting the hair tie back on the nightstand, "she's never talked to me about it and I've never asked. Why?"

I watch as Scott fidgets for a moment, and it looks like he's debating whether or not he should tell me something; I go ahead and ask, "Did something happen when you two went to that reunion?"

"I'm not really sure how much Joli would want me to share, but some shit did go down." I knew I had a bad fuckin' feeling about that thing. "Did you know she used to be married?"

"Nope." Honestly, I don't know if I'm surprised by that. Jolene is a beautiful, intelligent woman; I've just never seen her show any interest in any sort of serious relationship. "I know you've been divorced, but I didn't know the same could be said about her."

"Her ex is a piece of shit. We ran into him near the end of the whole thing and we got the fuck out of there." Scott's obviously still not sure if he should be telling me any of this, and honestly, it feels weird to not be hearing something like this from Joli. "She didn't really tell me much about their relationship, but he fucked her up, Kev. I didn't beat the fucker's face in when I saw him, but looking back, I wish I had."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair as I process what Scott's said. Poor little Joli, I wish she hadn't had to go through any of that. I can't ask her about anything like that, as it's her business and not mine.

"Sounds like Joli's got some deep, personal shit. If she wants to talk to us about it, she will." Scott nods, giving me a faint smile. I return it. "I guess none of us have really ever had the best history of relationships."

"Not by a long shot." Scott laughs. "At least I managed to get one good thing out of my marriage, though." Cody is a good kid, I'll give him that. Scott's marriage may not have lasted, but at least his relationship with his son will.

"You want a drink?" I ask as I lean over, grabbing a couple of beer bottles from underneath the nightstand. Scott mutters a, 'Yes' and I hand one of them to him. We both open our drinks before grinning at one another.

"To failed relationships?" Scott raises his bottle towards me as he speaks.

"To failed relationships." I hold my drink out and bump it towards Scott's in a toast before we both laugh. We've little more than finished a drink when the door of our room opens and Joli scurries in. She's got a couple of bags hanging off her arms and a smile upon her face.

"Welcome back." I greet as I sit up, sending her a grin.

"Have fun?" Scott asks after he takes another drink.

"Yeah, of course! Kim and I went all over town today." Joli sits her bags down before taking a seat in the desk chair. "It's been a while since the two of us went out like that. It was nice." She's so genuinely happy, I can't help but smile.

Happy Jolene is my favorite Jolene. As I listen to her talk about her day with Kimberly, I can't help but wonder, how could anyone try to hurt this beautiful babe?

She deserves so much better than that. She deserves the fuckin' world, nothing less.

Chapter 6: tight little group

Chapter 6: "Tight Little Group"
Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"Well shit, I don't know. Don't you guys have any ideas? What does she like?"

I sigh and place a hand on my head at Paul's question while Kev just shrugs. We're sitting around, me and Kev, with Paul and Shawn on speakerphone as we try to figure out just what we should get Joli for her birthday. We've still got a couple of weeks, so I'm sure we'll be fine.

"She likes a lot of things. It's narrowing this down that's the problem. What are good presents?" I really don't know. I've never been good at picking out gifts, and I want to make sure I get something nice for her. It's her thirtieth birthday, and the first one we've been able to spend with her in like three years. It needs to be special.

"Now boys, there are a lot of nice things you could get for little Jolene. Most of my suggestions would involve intercourse, though, and from what you've told me, you've both given her that multiple times." Shawn laughs before actually becoming helpful. "Seriously though, we can come up with something. Think about things that ladies like and modify those to things that Jolene would like."

"Like purses, perfume, that kind of thing?" Big Kev looks over at me as he talks, obviously as puzzled by this whole thing as I am. I know he wants to get a great gift for our gal, too. "Jewelry, clothing, makeup?"

"Exactly. You're getting it!" Shawn seems like he's amused by our struggle, but at least he's helping us out. "Now, out of those things, what are Jolene's preferences?"

"Uh, she doesn't really carry purses all that often, and when she does, they're not very big. She's always using some sort of peach perfume, but I'm not sure what the brand or any of that shit is." Kev leans back in his bed, thinking.

"Hey, shit, come to think of it, when she got back from hanging out with Kim the other day, she talked about how she wanted some new bracelets. Something about the stores they'd been to not having something she liked." I grin as the realization comes to me. "That's what I'll get her!"

"There you go! Progress!" Paul chuckles. "You decide on anything yet, big guy?"

"I'm thinking, hold on." Kev mutters. I look over at him and notice that his eyes are narrowed now as he stares mindlessly at the phone, racking his brain.

While Kev thinks, I chat with Paul and Shawn about any and everything. We don't always get a chance to talk to these two, which sucks. But hey, what can you do about it? It's just the way the schedules roll.

"I've got it." Kev speaks up after a few minutes, a smirk on his face. "I'll get her a nice leather jacket. Get our fuckin' nWo logo on it, maybe her name. It'd be great, right?"

"Ah, like some sort of custom-made deal? Sounds good!" I grin over at Kev. I like his idea a lot! Joli looks great in leather, too, but Kev knows that already.

"I like it! Not bad, Kev." Shawn sounds impressed, which makes me laugh. "You've both come up with good ideas! Be sure to let us know how that goes!"

"We will, brother." I reply as Kev stretches.

"But hey, I think we've got some shit to go do. We'll talk to you two later, okay? Tell Kid we said 'hi!'" Paul chuckles.

"Later, Scott! Kev!" Shawn adds a kissing noise, which Kev laughs at.

"Later." Kev and I say together before I end the phone call. Kev then stands up and puts his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, see if Dallas and Kimberly want to go out with us. If anyone is going to be able to help you pick out a bracelet, it's Kimberly." Kev says as he walks over towards our bathroom.


He's right; I have no idea where to even start on picking out a bracelet for Joli.

I think Dallas and Kim are only a few doors down from us, so I slip on my shoes and head out of our room. I knock on what I hope is their door before stepping back and folding my arms over my chest.

When the door opens, I'm greeted by the sight of a half-dressed Dally, who is thankfully wearing at least a pair of sweatpants. I hear Kimberly question who was there from the bathroom.

"It's Scott, babe!" Dallas replies as he reaches a hand out to me. As soon as our hands connect, Dally pulls me into a big hug. We both laugh as we reach an arm around one another. "Hey, bro! Just come on in. What's up?"

"Kev and I wanted to see if you and Kim were free today. We're going to go get to work on getting Joli's birthday presents, and in all honesty, I'm going to need Kim's insight." I follow Dally into their room and sit down in the office chair by their bed. "I don't know the first thing about what Joli would be looking for in a bracelet."

Right as the last word falls from my mouth, Kim comes walking in from the bathroom. She chuckles at my dilemma as she takes a seat on their bed.

"You're in luck. Jolene and I had an extensive conversation the other day about bracelets, and I know just what she's been looking for." Kim smiles as Dallas sits beside of her before turning back to me. "We're free today, if Page is up for it."

"Of course I am! I'm not going to miss an opportunity to help make my little sis' thirtieth fuckin' rad." Dally grins. I've always loved the bond he and Joli have, like a brother and a sister. "Are we sure we won't run into her, though? What's Joli up to today?"

"No need to worry about her today. She and Kid are working some signing at a mall nearby, and from what they told us they'll be there most of the day. Besides, they'll probably stop somewhere to eat after that, so we'll have plenty of time." My answer seems to please them both, as Dallas stands back up and grabs some clothes from one of the bags in the corner.

"You and Kev meet us in the lobby in, say, half an hour and we'll be ready to head out. I'll drive, okay?" As Dallas talks, I stand up and nod.


"Thanks Dally, Kim. We really appreciate it." I wave at them before heading out of their room and back to ours.

"How'd it go?" Kev asks as soon as he sees me. "Are they coming with us?"

"Yeah. Dallas said to meet them in the lobby in about thirty minutes and we'll head out. He offered to drive."

"Sweet."

I grab my jacket and slip it on while Kev stands up. Once we're both ready for the day, we head on down to the lobby to wait on Dally and Kim. They show up right when they said they would, and we head on out to grab a bite to eat.

After we've sat down and ordered our meals, I take a drink of my water before looking between my three friends. We've still got some details to work out before Joli's birthday.

"All right, so what should we do for a party on Joli's b-day? It's on a Monday, so after Nitro we could have a big shindig." I think that'd be pretty nice. "Get some nice booze, make her feel special?"

"What, can we get some little fuckin' party hats, too?" Kev's little quip makes us all laugh. "No, seriously, I think you've got a good idea. We can get a few people to come, if they want. Or hell, we could just get the four of us and Kid together. It's whatever."

"Do we want to surprise her, or what? I know Joli's not the biggest fan of that type of thing." Kim asks, a smile on her face. "She's always preferred for things to be... to the point."

"How about this: if she asks if we're throwing a party for her, we tell her. But, if she doesn't ask, we don't say a thing." Dallas suggests. "That way, it doesn't necessarily have to be a surprise, but it can be one."

Kev laughs before replying, "That's kind of cruel, man."

"But it would work." Dallas grins.

"It would indeed." I can't help but smile, thinking about how much fun Joli's birthday is going to be. We'll make it a damn good day for her. "So, where you guys want to have this thing?"

"We could have it in your room, but as soon as we're done at Nitro, we can head to the hotel and fix the place up. That way, regardless of whether or not it's a surprise, things will still be ready by the time you guys finish up." Kimberly offers, obviously excited.

"I'm fine with that." Kev says as he looks over at me. I nod in agreement, looking between Dally and Kim.

"Yeah, as long as you guys are cool with setting everything up." I add.


"We'll make it look great! We'll get big banners to hang up everywhere and let the whole world know that little Joli is turning thirty!" Dallas cackles. Man, I can imagine Joli getting all flustered at something like that. It'd be hilarious.

"Sweet. I guess that settles it, then. We'll pick up the booze and whatever random shit we find, and you guys can get whatever you'd like. It'll be great." Kev, Kim, and Dally all nod.

Our food soon arrives and we have small talk about Joli's party as we eat. Everyone's looking forward to it, which is great. Once we're finished with our meal, we head on out to the closest jewelry store to start picking out bracelets.

Kim tries explaining all of these different terms for different types of bracelets, but really, I don't get all of it. Even with all of the bling I wore as Razor, I never had this hard of a time getting jewelry! I'm grateful for Kim's help, though. The bracelet set we settle on is absolutely beautiful. It's a nice, shiny gold that will look wonderful on Joli. I can't wait to see her face when she gets it!

After I've purchased Joli's bracelets, we all just hang out in town until it gets a little later in the day. Kev makes a call from a phone booth to one of our merchandise guys and tells him what he wants for Joli's jacket, which is going to look great. It'll be done at the end of next week, right before Joli's birthday.

We stop for a quick dinner before heading back to the hotel. We walk Dallas and Kimberly back to their room and say our goodbyes for the day. I make sure that Kim knows that without her, I never would have been able to get the right thing for Joli. I could've gotten her something nice, sure, but I'm positive she'll like this a lot more.

As we walk back to our room, I slip Joli's bracelets into my pocket and Kev makes sure that it's impossible to see them. Even if Joli ends up knowing about her party, I don't want her to know what I got her until her birthday. Joli and Kid beat us back to the hotel room, and once we get there we see them both laid out on the beds and laughing their asses off.

"What, did we miss all the fun?" Kev asks as we walk in.

"Oh, hey! There you guys are." Joli smiles as she stands up, giving both Kev and I quick hugs. "We missed you two!"

"We went out with Dallas and Kimberly. Explored the town and all that." Kev chuckles as he takes a seat on the bed Joli just got off of. "How'd the signing go?"

"Pretty well. There was some chick that gave Joli this rad pair of sunglasses. I'm fuckin' jealous! They're nice." Kid grins as he sits up, grabbing the glasses off the nightstand.


"Those are nice." I mutter as I sit down beside of Kid, looking them over. You can never go wrong with high-quality shades.

Jolene grabs her cigarettes, lighter, and jacket before slipping her shoes on. "Kev? Scott? Do one of you want to go out with me to smoke? I was going to go by myself, since Kid keeps whining about the cold," Kid chuckles bashfully, "but I'd much rather have some company."

"I'll go with you." Kev offers and stands back up. Joli has her back turned to me as she puts on her jacket, and Kev sends me a wink. I nod back at him, knowing that he's giving me a chance to hide her bracelets. "We'll be back before too long."

Once Kev and Joli are gone, I slid Joli's bracelets out of my pocket and show them to Kid. His face lights up as he looks at them and that makes me pretty damn proud.

"Holy shit, man! These are nice!" Kid exclaims. "Are they for Joli?"

"Of course." I chuckle as I head over to my bag. "The main reason we went out today was so that Kim could help me pick out the perfect set for Joli's birthday. Think she'll like them?"

"Like them? Dude, she'll fuckin' love them!" I make sure the bracelets are securely put away before I sit back beside of Kid. I see this sudden look of realization cross his face as he replays my words back in his mind. "Shit, birthday?! When?!"

"It's on the twenty-fifth, man. She'll be thirty." Kid darts up, patting his sides.

"Shit! That's only, like, two weeks away! I didn't know that!" He pulls his wallet out of his pockets and let out a relieved sigh before looking at me. "What should I get her?"

"I don't have a clue." I laugh. "Kev and I had to call Paul and Shawn earlier and have them help us out. They say 'hi,' by the way."

"Oh, cool." Kid grins before the panic sets back in. "What's Kev getting her?" I tell him about the jacket and he nods, liking the sound of that. "So what do I get her, man? I really don't know!"

"She'll say you didn't have to get her anything, but if you're really set on it, you could just get her some cigarettes. Maybe a couple of lighters?" It's something I'm sure she'd love. She's always in need of cigarettes and lighters, so it'd be practical at least!

"That isn't a bad idea! Yeah, I'll do that." Kid then goes to put his shoes on, but I laugh and stop him.

"You've not got to get her anything this minute, Kid. If you want to get those for her, just get them before her actual birthday. Okay?"

"Oh, yeah, that works. Thanks."

Joli's birthday is going to be a lot of fun! I can't wait to see how it actually plays out. I'm glad we've got such a tight little group, where we can do cool shit like this.

Chapter 7: happy birthday, joli

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

"Happy birthday, Milford!"

"Hey, happy birthday, Jolene!"

"Are you really thirty today? Wow."

I've been berated with all sorts of birthday wishes today, many of which have come from people I barely talk to. It's been nice, really.

I'm currently smoking outside with Kev and Scott by my side as we wait for Kid to get out of the shower. The cold November air is making me shiver slightly as I huddle between my two best friends for warmth, cigarette in hand.

"You look like you need a jacket or something." Kev comments with a grin towards Scott. I look between the two of them, baffled by the fact that they're unfazed by the temperature.

"How are you guys not freezing your asses off out here? You're in short-sleeved shirts, just like I am." I chuckle before taking a puff of my cigarette.

"We can't get cold when we have to keep you warm." Scott jokes, gently bumping me with his elbow. "Besides, we won't be out here too much longer. Kid should be done soon."

"God, I hope so." I chuckle, pulling at the hems of both of their shirts to pull them closer to me. "Why can't we just go to the car?"

"Because he's the one with the keys." Kev laughs, placing a hand on my shoulder. I appreciate any and every little bit of warmth.

When Kid finally comes out, I snatch the keys from his hand and run off towards the car. The guys laugh at me as I run to our vehicle, but that's okay. It's just way too cold! I start the car and get it heating up before I jump into the backseat, looking forward to the warmth.

"Damn, you didn't waste any time, did you?" Scott jokes as he gets behind the wheel, looking at me over his shoulder. "Poor little Joli, you're becoming an ice cube on your birthday."

"Not anymore! I'm warming up quite nicely now, thank you." I grin. I instantly cling to Kid as he gets in the backseat with me, making him laugh.

It doesn't take long for us to get back to the hotel, and when we make it back to our room, the guys step back to let me go in first. I had figured that they had planned something for my birthday, based on the way they had been acting all day, but this confirms it.

I open the door to our hotel room and as soon as I go to step inside, a little party popper goes off in my face. Throughout the confetti, I see Dally and Kim smiling brightly at me. This is what everyone's been up to, huh?

I love it. I really do.

"Happy birthday, sis! Thirty is nothing to be ashamed of!" Dally cheers as he leads me inside by my wrist. "Get ready to fuckin' party!"

Kim sits me down in the office chair before she hands me a drink, something I eagerly accept. This is a nice start.

"We know you're probably looking forward to gifts most of all, but let's have a little bit of fun first, okay?" Scott grins as he grabs some drinks and passes them to Kev and Kid. Dally and Kim both grab drinks of their own. "To Joli, on her big three-oh." Scott raises his bottle, signalling for all of us to do the same.

"To Joli!" I can't help but giggle as we all raise our drinks in a toast to me. I love my friends.

Kim turns on the radio (that I'm assuming she and Dallas brought) as we all settle in and start downing our drinks. Soon, we're all bopping along to the music as we drink and chat, just having a really good time.

We're around an hour in and I'm about to light a cigarette when Kev turns the music down and quiets everyone. He's got a slightly-groggy grin on his lips as he picks the presents up from the floor and sits them on the desk I'm sitting at. I sit my cigarette and lighter back down as I listen to Kev.

"Okay, okay. Before we all get too plastered, I think Joli should open her presents. That sound good to everyone?" Everyone nods. "All right, start off, then!" Kev sends me a wink before he sits back down beside of Scott on one of the beds.

"You guys do realize that you didn't have to-"

"Oh, don't start that!" Dallas cuts me off, laughing. "Jolene, you know that not a single one of us would've gotten you a damn thing if we didn't want to. Now hush up and open your gifts!"

I smile shyly at Dally before picking up the present closest to me. It's in a bag and it's from Kid! I remove the poorly placed paper at the top of the bag before giggling as I see the contents at the bottom of it.

Not only did Kid get me four packs of cigarettes, he got me me a couple of new lighters and an ash tray. "Aw, Kid! Thank you! I love it." I get everything out of the bag and sit it back on the table after I send a smile to Kid.

"You're welcome, Joli. You can never have too much of that stuff." Kid grins.

"Absolutely." I agree before picking up the next gift. It's a wrapped box and it's from Dallas and Kimberly.

Inside of the box I find several different things; a beautiful black scarf, a bottle of my favorite peach perfume, a couple of pairs of jeans, and...

"Really, Dallas?" I hold up three condoms that had been hidden in my new jeans as I (jokingly) scoff at Dally. He laughs and throws his hands up.

"How do you know I put those in there, and not Kim?"

"Because I know you." Dally laughs even more, sending me a grin.

"Well, I know you, too. And, because I know you and a certain couple of other people in this room," Dallas quickly glances between Scott and Kev, making everyone laugh, "I know you'll have use for those."

I shake my head with a smile on my face as I hug my gifts from Dallas and Kimberly to my chest. "Seriously though, thank you." I look at Dallas and then Kimberly. "I love all of it."

"We thought you would." Kimberly grins. "You're welcome, Jolene."

"Glad you like it, sis." Dallas chuckles.

After I've sat my gifts from Dallas and Kim back on the desk, I pick up the next closest gift. It's from Scott, and it's a small bag with a smaller box inside of it. I curiously open up the box, only to gasp when I see what's inside.

"Scott, holy shit! You didn't." I squeal as I remove the two beautiful bracelets from the box. I hear Scott chuckle as I look over my lovely new jewelry.

"I did." I quickly slip on the bracelets, so that I can see how they look on my wrists. Wow. "I take it you like them?"

"They're perfect! I've been wanting a set like this for ages." I look up at Scott, only to see him smiling brightly back at me. "Thank you so much, Scott."

"You're absolutely welcome, babe." Scott glances quickly towards Kim and gives a nonchalant shrug. "I might've had a little bit of help, though." Kim laughs and so do I.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." I examine the bracelets one more time before I carefully set them back in their box and onto the desk.

Those bracelets are so nice, and they're exactly what I had been looking for. Unless Scott used his charm to haggle the price down, I know he must've paid a pretty penny for them, too. I absolutely love them so much and I'm so glad he got them for me. I hope he realizes how much I adore them.

My final gift is from Kev, and it's in pretty big box. After I pick the box up and set it in my lap, I shoot a quick smile to Kev, who is grinning like a maniac. I hope he didn't spend too much on me.

Once I open the box and my eyes land on the nice black, leather jacket inside, my jaw drops. Kev lets out a cheer as I excitedly remove the jacket from the box in order to look at it more. The back side of the jacket has the nWo logo on it, along with my last name in white. One of the front pockets has 'new world order' written across it.

This may very well be one of the coolest damn things to have the nWo brand on it.

"It's pretty sweet, isn't it? You'd be surprised how quickly something like that can be made, if you pay the right price." Kev's comment snaps my attention away from the beautiful leather in my hands.

"It's breathtaking." I giggle as I place the jacket on my lap. "Thank you so much, Kev. I just... I love it." I really don't know how to explain how ecstatic I am. The jacket is wonderful and I can't wait to wear it.

"Don't mention it." Kev chuckles. "It is pretty damn nice. I thought it turned out well."

"Without a doubt." I can't believe my friends did so much for me. They all got me such wonderful gifts, it's mind-boggling. "Thank you, all of you. I appreciate everything so much."

"Oh, don't get all sappy, Joli. We love you!" Dallas cheers as he picks up his drink and raises it into the air. "Now, where were we?"

As everyone resumes drinking, I grab my cigarettes and light one up. I pick up the ash tray that Kid got me and move it closer to me on the desk so that I can use it.

This is the life, you know? Being able to drink and smoke with your best friends is absolutely fuckin' grand. I couldn't ask for a better night.

We've gone through god-knows-how-much booze when Dallas and Kimberly finally stand up, their arms around each other to help them not fall. They walk over to the chair I'm sitting in and wrap their free arms around me, giving me a hug.

"Goodnight, Jolene!" Dallas cackles in my ear, startling me to where I nearly fall out of my chair. "Oh, shit! Don't do that!"

"Don't scream in my ear, then!" I laugh, wrapping an arm around both Dallas and Kim. "Thank you both so much for tonight."

"Oh, you're welcome, Joli. Goodnight." Kim giggles as they step back. "We'll see you all tomorrow! Or something."

Kev, Scott, and I all wave at Dally and Kim as they stumble out of our room. I glance over at Kid, who is passed out on the floor, once they're gone.

"Damn, how long has he been out?" I ask as I try to stand up, only to slide completely out of my chair. "Oh."

"Let me help you, gosh." Kev laughs as he stands up and moves over to me, nearly tripping over Kid in the process. Before he picks me up, Kev kicks Kid.

"What?" Kid grumbles as he pops his head up for just a moment.

"Get your ass in bed." Kev rolls his eyes as he moves me to our bed. As Kev gets back in bed, Kid heaves himself off the ground and onto his and Scott's bed.

"Well, babe, did you have a good birthday?" Scott rolls onto his side, sending me a lopsided grin. "I think it was pretty fun."

"Without a doubt. It was great. You guys are the best friends a gal could ever ask for." I giggle as I make myself comfortable. "Thank you, thank you so much."

"It's been a nice little day. I'm just glad you've enjoyed it." Kev stretches out. "But shit, I'm tired."

"Me too. Kid's already out again." Scott laughs as he glances over at the snoring Kid beside of him. "I think it's time for us all to get some rest."

"Agreed." Kev yawns, reaching up to turn the light between the beds off. "Night, everyone."

"Goodnight." Scott mutters.

"Yeah." I flip my pillow to the cooler side, smiling to myself. This day really has been wonderful, hasn't it?

I'm nearly asleep when Kev turns on his side and wraps an arm around me and pulls me closer to him. We're facing each other, though we can't see one another.

"Happy birthday, Joli." Kev's voice is little more than a murmur, but the sincerity in his voice makes my heart leap. He's too good to be my friend. "Hope you're sleeping well. Night."

Chapter 8: by my side

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

Joli huddles against my side as we attempt to stay warm on this frigid ride to our next Nitro location. Of course the heat went out in this cheap-ass rental we got for the week, right when we needed it. What bullshit.

"... you know what I mean? I just feel like I need to up my game and I feel like that's not something that is really happening right now. It blows." Kid sighs heavily as he leans back against the passenger seat. He's been going on about how he feels like he's been in some sort of rut lately, as far as his work goes.

"It happens sometimes. You can be on a complete winning streak and feel horrible about it because you don't feel like you don't deserve it." Scott shrugs as he drives. "It's rough."

"Damn right it is. Like, I'm not winning all my matches or anything, but I feel like I'm just not getting better. I know I'm good, or at least I think I am, but I want to be better." Kid groans.

"Keep pushing yourself. If you want to go a few rounds with us, we can help you out when we get to the gym." I offer. Kid turns around and looks at me for a moment, before turning back to Scott.

"Seriously? Dude, I'd fuckin' appreciate it." Kid sounds like he's just had a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

"Anytime you need any help, just come to us. We're in this business together, aren't we?" Scott laughs as he takes one hand off the wheel for just a moment, so that he can shove Kid's shoulder. We all laugh.

"What are we going to do, turn you away? You're our fuckin' brother." I grin, leaning forward so that I can shove him myself. Jolene lets out a small huff in protest as I move, but I pull her back in once I lean back in my seat.

"Thanks, guys."

That's just the kind of thing we do around here. We're family, and family help each other out when possible.

We fall into silence, just listening to the radio for a few minutes. However, once I feel Joli start to move, I groan. She's reaching for her cigarettes.

"Joli, babe, it's too cold for that." I laugh as she scoots over, so that she can use the window behind Scott. "You let so much air in when you smoke."

"I'm sorry." Joli sends me a sympathetic look. "I hate letting the cold in, but I need a smoke."

"Joli, please?" Kid whines.

"I'm sorry." She giggles as she pulls a cigarette out of the carton and places it right between her lips. Joli lights it up before rolling down the window.

Although a collective groan echoes throughout the vehicle as the chilly air rushes in, I find myself merely propping against the door on my side, my eyes on Jolene. There's something that's just fuckin' alluring about watching her smoke, and I don't know what it is. As of late I've just been so captivated by watching her do it, for whatever reason.

Actually, scratch that. There's a lot that Joli's been doing lately that's been catching my eye. It's not like she's doing anything different than usual, either; she's just being herself.

Whatever.

Joli finishes her cigarette and rolls her window up the moment she begins exhaling her final puff. We all sigh in relief, since there won't be anymore frigid air coming in for a while. Despite her addiction, Joli can go quite a while without a cigarette if she needs to. Isn't she the best?

I watch as Joli puts away her cigarettes and lighter before scooting back over to my side and lifting my arm up so that she can get closer to me. She looks so good in the jacket that I got her, but I rarely notice how good unless I take a proper look at her. I guess if you're exposed to something beautiful for such a long period of time, you have to take a step back every now and then to be able to truly admire it.

The closer we get to our destination, the colder it gets. I'm just about to drift off when Kid's loud voice wakes me up.

"Holy shit, is it really snowing?!" I groan and adjust myself so that I'm sitting up, as opposed to being halfway down in my seat like I had been.

"Looks like it. Damn." Scott mutters as I rub the side of my face. One look through the window proves that they're right, and there is indeed snow falling from the sky. Not a lot of it yet, but some nonetheless.

"How far out are we?" I groggily ask as Joli wraps her arms even more tightly around me.

"We're still probably a good two hours away." Scott sighs, looking at me in the rear-view mirror. "This weather is ridiculous in this car."

"God, we're going to freeze." Joli laughs before she pulls away. I shake my head as she goes to grab her cigarettes and her lighter.

"Oh, no you don't." I grin and snatch them out of the floor before she gets a chance to. Joli instantly whips around to look up, pouting.

"Kev, come on. Give 'em."

"Hell nah. It's too cold for that." I'm only joking around with her, but the longer we can go without having to roll a window down and letting the cold in, the better. I slip her box of cigarettes and the lighter into my pocket.

"Kev, give them back." Joli whines, trying to reach over and into my pocket. I just place my hand firmly near the entrance, making it so that she can't get in. She tries to move my hand for a few moments before leaning forward, between Scott and Kid's seats. "Scott, Kid, help me out."

"No way! It's cold as balls in here, Joli." Kid laughs. "Keep 'em as long as you can, Kev!"

"Plan on it!"

Joli shoots me a frown before leaning on Scott's seat, a hand on his shoulder. "Please, Scott?"

"Sorry, babe, you know he doesn't listen to me." Scott chuckles, giving a small shrug. "You're on your own on this one." Joli groans, moving back so that she's beside of and looking at me. She puts on a smile before taking my free hand into both of hers.

"Please, Kev? I'd really like to smoke at least one more time before we finish this frozen ride." The obviously-exaggerated, super nice voice that she's using makes me laugh. "Just one more cigarette. That's all I'm asking for."

"No can do." I shrug, watching as she sits back. She's trying to come up with some sort of plan, I know it.

Before I can react, Joli starts cranking down the window on the other side of the car. Cold wind floods into the car and I mutter a, "Fuck!" as I reach over to roll it back up. Scott and Kid groan from the front seats. Ever agile, Joli takes advantage of my reaction and slides her hand into my pocket. I try to stop her, but she still manages to grab her cigarettes and lighter. Damn her and her little hands.

"Got it." Joli smiles smugly as she pulls out a cigarette. Once she's lit it, she rolls the window up nearly completely, just leaving enough room for the smoke to leave the car and for her to be able to flick her ashes out.

"That was cold, Joli. Literally." Scott comments with a grin.

"It worked, though." Joli giggles.

Little bits of snow have managed to sneak into the car and have landed on Joli's head, standing out against her dark hair. It looks nice.

I snap my attention away from Joli and look towards Scott, who is shivering in his damn seat. "You want me to take over for you? Driving this long isn't fun for anyone."

"Nah, I'm all right. It's just so fuckin' cold, it's crazy. I'm just looking forward to getting anywhere with a heater." He looks tired and bored, but I'll take his word for it.

"Just tell me if you want to switch."

"Will do, brother."

I glance back over at Joli and notice that she's already almost done with her cigarette. She normally takes her time smoking, but not today. It's too cold for that.

It seems like almost as soon as Joli rolls her window up, the snow starts pouring from the sky. Like, it had been just barely snowing before, but now, it's like a snowstorm out there. It's possible to see, yeah, but I think it looks worse than it is. Scott has to slow the car down drastically, so that we don't slide off the road.

"Man, how long do you think this will last? We may need to just turn around or something." Kid sounds panicked. "Fuck."

"I hate driving this slow. I feel like Joli." Scott jokes, making Joli scoff.

"I don't drive that slow, Scott. Shut up." Joli gives a small chuckle as she scoots back closer to me, basically clinging to my arm. "Maybe we should turn around? It's not horrible right now, but snow can get to be pretty rough."

"We'll be fine. I've driven through worse." Scott assures, completely focused on the road.

I'm not worried about it. Some snow isn't going to kill us, but God, it's made it so cold. I wrap my arms around Joli and hold her close, so that we can share whatever body heat the two of us have. We're both in long-sleeved shirts, pants, and jackets, but the damn air cuts through us regardless.

Sure enough, we get through the snow without any real problem. It takes us a hell of a long time, yeah, and it's way too cold, but we get through it. It's approaching sundown by the time we make it there, and thankfully, our city isn't anywhere near as snowy as the way here was.

"You guys just want to kick it inside the room for the night? I'm tired of dealing this weather." Scott chuckles as we approach our hotel.

"That's fine. I'll go pick up some drinks and shit." I offer, since we didn't grab anything before we started our ride over here.

"I'll go with you." Joli offers, looking up at me. "No use in you freezing your ass off alone."

I nod as Scott pulls into the parking lot and replies, "Sounds good to me. Hold on real quick and we'll get you guys a room key."

As soon as Scott has parked, he and Kid jump out of the car and grab our bags from the trunk. They dart inside the hotel, nearly stumbling over the icy walkway in the process. I laugh, watching as Kid catches himself on one of the columns near the entrance.

"Let's head on up." I mutter as I go ahead and get out of the backseat. Joli follows out the other door, and by the time Kid runs out to hand me a room key, we're in the front seats.

"We're in 328, okay?" Kid shivers before running back inside. I hand Joli the little card before I start driving off.

You know, I really like any sort of time I get to spend alone with Joli. I love Scott, and I love Kid, but it's nice to spend time with just Joli; by that, I'm really referring to the time when we're alone and not having sex. That's fun as all hell too, don't get me wrong, but I like just driving around with her or working out or just fuckin' talking to her. She's one of the coolest ladies I've ever met and I'm lucky to be as close to her as I am.

We stop at a little gas station near the hotel, and as soon as we get inside of it, Joli lets out a sight of relief. I can't help but grin, watching as she enjoys the heat. It'll be a miracle if we don't all get some sort of cold from this damn trip, but that's a problem for another day.

"What all do you want, babe?" I ask, picking up enough booze to last us for a couple of days. Joli looks around, picking up a couple of random things here and there. God, it's so much warmer in here. We have to trade that rental out first thing in the morning.

Once we've gotten everything we need, we head on back out into the cold-ass car. The ride back to the hotel is a cold one, but there's no one else I'd rather have by my side. Joli makes even the worst drive bearable.

Chapter 9: out in the cold

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

I take a look out the living room window as I grab a drink from Joli's kitchen counter, watching as the snow continues fall outside. It's fuckin' cold here, on this New Years Eve in Virginia. I mean, yeah, Joli's keeping the house warm, but there are several inches of snow outside on the ground. It's a good thing that it's only a Tuesday and we've got plenty of time off before we've got to haul our asses back to WCW.

Kev's currently stretched out on the couch and Joli's in the kitchen, warming up a cup of hot chocolate for herself. It's actually a really peaceful moment, and I'm grateful for it. I like just taking it easy with my two best friends.

After I pop open my beer, I head back into the living room and take a seat in one of the recliners. Kev's getting tired, I can tell that just by looking at him. He's watching the obligatory New Years Eve program that's on the television, but his eyes keep fluttering, as if he's trying to keep himself awake.

"Hey, if you're getting tired, you can head to bed, man." My voice startles Kev, as he nearly jumps off the damn couch. I can't help but chuckle at him.

"No, I'm okay." Kev sounds so tired, and his voice is little more than a mutter. "I'll go to bed when you two do."

"Go get your ass in bed, Kevin." Joli's wearing an amused smile as she walks back into the living room, her cup in her hands. "We'll let you know when it's 1997, okay? Just go get some sleep."

Kev groans and sits up, brushing the hair out of his face. He sleepily looks between the two of us before letting out a yawn and standing up.

"Ah, fuck it. I'm tired." Kev gives a sleepy wave before slowly making his way to Joli's guest bedroom. Joli and I both watch him walk off, telling him goodnight.

"I'm glad he actually listened to us. My couch isn't too comfortable to sleep on; at least, overnight. It's fine for a nap or something like that, but it's torture to sleep on it for more than like, three hours." Joli comments as she takes a seat on the couch where Kev had been laying.

"Yikes. I hope your guest bed is better than that, at least." I joke as Joli smiles, taking a drink of her hot chocolate. "Your bed is pretty damn nice."

"It is, isn't it?" Joli giggles, resting her cup on her lap. "I think my guest bed is really nice, though. Let me know what you think of it!"

"Aw, not letting me share a bed with you this time? Harsh." I laugh as I lean back in my chair. "What if you get cold during the night?"

"If I get too cold, I'll probably just climb in bed with you and Kev. But, my house stays pretty warm, so I think I'll be okay." Joli's smiling, and so am I.

We sit there for a few minutes, just drinking our drinks and watching television. Once Joli's finished her hot chocolate, she puts her empty glass in the sink and grabs a coat from one of the racks in the living room. Joli slides on her coat and a pair of shoes before walking over to me with a grin.

"I know it's frigid outside, but do you want to go out on the porch with me?" Joli asks, motioning towards her back porch. "It's totally fine if you don't, I just figured I'd ask."

"Sure. I mean, I might as well, right?" I grin back at Joli as I stand up. I grab my jacket and put on my shoes before I follow her out of the house and onto the porch. The chairs she keeps out here are covered in snow, like pretty much everything else.

Joli pulls out a cigarette and lights it up as I take another drink from the bottle in my hand. I can't help but look around, noticing how beautiful this night is. The snow looks nice out here.

"You know, this time last year, I never would've expected that this is how I'd be spending tonight. That is, with you and Kev here with me and all of us together in WCW again." Joli smiles over at me as she hold her cigarette near her lips. "This is really nice, you know?"

"It is nice. I completely get what you're saying. I mean, shit, at that time, I had no idea where I'd end up. I was just so sick of not being treated the way I should've been, and not making the money I should've... It was a rough time. I hadn't planned on heading back to WCW, but I'm glad that's how things worked out."

Fuck, the end of '95 was a mess. I'm glad everything is a lot more calm now, and that Kev and I both are in positions where we don't have to worry about where our careers are going. Plus, we're here with Joli again, and I can't explain how great that is.

She's a special lady, through and through. At this point, I think I'd be completely lost without her.

"Do you remember what the first New Years Eve we spent together was like?" Joli asks after exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I'm asking because I genuinely don't remember much of it. I mean, I remember waking up the next morning with one of your hands on my ass and one of Dally's hats in my hand, but I can't quite put many of the pieces together as to how that happened."

That was one hell of a night. It was one of the only times that I've seen Joli get completely plastered, but thinking back, it makes perfect sense. That was right after she'd gotten signed with WCW, and that wasn't too long after her divorce (at least, from what I know). She's gotten a lot better at controlling her booze intake since then.

"My memory is a little bit foggy, but fuck, that was a wild night. You got so drunk, oh my god. We'd known each other for what, three months at that point, and I'd never seen you down so much. I distinctly remember," I pause to laugh, a big grin on my face, "I distinctly remember thinking, 'Holy shit, this girl really is crazy, isn't she?' But, I always liked that about you."

The giggle Joli replies with is so cute. I can tell as she inhales on her cigarette that she's trying to come up with memories from that night, but it's hard for her to do.

"Did I... Was that the night that I declared my undying love for Ted Turner? Or was that another night?" Joli looks like she can barely stop herself from laughing. "I don't entirely remember doing that, but it's something Dally has reminded me of on several occasions."

"Oh, I remember that! No, I don't think that was that night. I think Kev might've been with us for that one." Then again, a lot of our crazy party memories run together.

"Ah, okay!" Joli smiles over at me. "We've had some good times over the years."

"Good, bad, it comes with the territory." I send her a grin. God, she looks beautiful on this night, out in the cold. "You know, I really wish we'd been able to see each other more while Kev and I were gone. I mean, I know we met up whenever we could, but man, I just can't help but feel like we could've done so much more."

I mean, I don't know if it's the booze talking or what, but it feels good to just talk with Joli about the old days.

"I mean, like you said, we did what we could. You two were working all the time, and it was what it was." Joli laughs and takes a quick puff on her cigarette. "I mean, I probably seemed super desperate whenever you or Kev would call and ask if I was free. Nine times out of ten, I dropped whatever I was doing just for a chance to see you guys. I missed you two a lot."

For just a moment, this sad little smile comes onto Joli's lips, but it disappears when she places her cigarette back in her mouth. I missed her so much, and I've gotten so used to seeing her again that I tend to forget what life was like when I only got to see her once every few months. No matter who we met or who we befriended during that time, no one has ever brought a smile to my face quite like Joli.

"We missed you too, babe. There were many nights where we'd be partying and having the time of our lives, but Kev and I both would talk about how we wished you had been there." I shiver as a cold breeze sweeps lots of snow towards us.

Joli finishes her cigarette and puts it out in the ash tray that she had to dig out from under a pile of snow. She motions for us to head back in, and I scurry in after her. I watch as Joli sits her ash tray on the counter before taking her jacket and shoes off, while I do the same.

"I really appreciate all that you and Kevin have done for me, whether you realize that or not. I'm unnecessarily going on about this, but the two of you have really helped open up my life and made me a lot happier than I was before." Joli's completely sober, although I am not. I mean, I'm only slightly buzzed, but that's to be expected on New Year's Eve. "Shit, Dallas and Kimberly, too. I mean, I wouldn't even have a job in this business without them."

"You're a wonderful girl, Joli. You say you're lucky to have us, but we're the ones that are lucky to have you." I grin over at her. "We help each other through this crazy life, and that's the way it should be."

Joli folds her arms over her chest and smiles at me. She looks at me for just a moment before coming over and giving me a big hug. As I wrap my arms around Joli's smaller form, I can't help but think about how natural it feels it have her so close. It's nice.

"You need anything else to drink?" Joli asks as she pulls away, walking towards her kitchen. I swish the remainder of my beer around in the bottle, noting that there's not much left of it. I nod in response before chugging what was left. "Here you go."

"Thanks, babe." I send Joli a grin as she hands me a new bottle. We clink our drinks with a laugh before heading back into the living room. I sit back in the recliner I had been in earlier while Joli sits back down on the couch.

By the time the ten second countdown to the New Year begins, Joli and I are both slurring all over our words. We lean over in our seats, anxiously awaiting the drop of the ball.

"... Five! Four! Three! Two!" We count along, falling back into our seats as we scream out, "ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Joli and I both erupt into laughter, holding our bottles close to our chests. Holy shit, it's 1997 now, isn't it?

"Holy fuck, can you two go to bed?" I jump slightly at Kev's voice. He's apparently wandered into the living room with us, and by the look on his face it's obvious that we woke him up. Oops.

"Sorry about that, man." I chuckle as I take the final swig of my drink. I sit the bottle down before forcing myself up and stumbling over to him. "Happy New Year!"

"Yeah, we're sorry, Kev." Joli mutters as she gets up, giving the big guy a hug. "We'll head on off to bed now."

Kev looks like he wants to be frustrated, but after a moment he gives a big sigh and wraps an arm around both Joli and myself. We do some sort of weird group hug before we all pull back and Kev ruffles Joli and I's hair.

"All right, seriously, get your asses in bed. I'm fuckin' tired." Kev chuckles. I nod and Joli waves at the two of us.

"Night, guys!" She's so cute.

"Night, Joli." Kev mutters. We both watch her sway into her bedroom before we head into her guest room. "Night, Scott."

"Night, man."

Tonight was great, for so many reason. 1996 was one hell of a year and I can't believe I'm so damn excited to see where '97 takes us.

Chapter 10: on top of the world

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

"Fuck, it feels good to be on top, doesn't it? We've all been killing it lately. I'm proud of us!" Scott grins as he drives us away from the arena. We just finished the second Nitro of '97, and honestly, we're all in really good spirits! I'm in the passenger seat and enjoying a smoke while we head to a bar not too far from the arena.

"Things are pretty damn nice around here." Kev chimes in from the backseat. "I'm quite happy with the way things are going right now. Our business is booming, and shit, we're all doing just fine."

"It's great, huh? The nWo is running the place and we're at the head of it all." Kid cheers. I look over my shoulder and see him grinning in his seat behind Scott. "I love it!"

"We've come a long way. It feels like just yesterday that you came back, Scott. Look at us now! Hulk's World Champion, and you two are tag champs." I send Kev a quick smirk before turning back around in my seat. "The nWo is one of the best things to happen to any of us."

I take a final puff of my cigarette as Scott replies, "Without a doubt. Life is pretty sweet." He chuckles. "I don't think there's anything that could bring us down right now." He pauses for a second before shrugging. "I mean, there's some shit that could happen that wouldn't be great, but I don't see anything like that happening to us."

"When things are good, they're good, and goddamn, are things good right now. Bad shit is always possible, but we're at the top right now and we should enjoy it." Kev's quite happy, but understandably so.

"Enjoy it we shall." Scott agrees, looking at the upcoming turns on the road. "Hey, am I supposed to take this turn up here?"

"No, it's the third one on the left." I point towards one of the turn-offs down the road. Scott nods and continues on. I'd scoped out the area earlier when Kimberly and I went to lunch.

"Ah, thanks."

When we get to the bar, Scott hands me the keys. I offered earlier to be our designated driver, in case the guys drink way too much. After all, I can just booze it up when we get back to the hotel. It's no big deal.

In the bar, we get a little table near the back. Kid gets me an ash tray, which I'm very grateful for. The guys all order their drinks while I merely sit my cigarettes and lighter on the table.

"You sure you want to bother being the one that drives us back tonight?" Kev asks as he takes his drink into his hand. "'Cause I'll take it easy if you want me to deal with it."

"Don't worry about it. I've got it." I send Kev a smile as I mindlessly tap the bottom of my lighter on the table. "Drink the fuck up, guys."

"Ah, to our super-responsible Joli! The woman who makes our lives so much better just by waiting a few hours to get wasted!" Kid grins at me as he raises his glass. When Kev and Scott laugh and clink their glasses with his, Kid adds, "Seriously though, thanks Joli!"

"Our little savior." Scott jokes before he takes a drink. "Where-oh-where would we be without you?"

"It's hard to say. I imagine it wouldn't be too fun of a place, though." I giggle. "But come on, we're not here to praise me individually. Tonight is about all of us!"

"We're on top of the world. WCW is fuckin' flourishing, and we've had a pretty significant role in that." Kev chuckles, sending us all a look that completely explains what he means; that the nWo is the reason that WCW is in as good of a place as it is. I mean, he's not really wrong. Our group has been the main factor in our company taking the lead over the WWF. We've brought a sense of excitement and reality to the wrestling world that is necessary at this point in time. I'm quite proud of all we've managed to accomplish.

"Again I say, I don't really think that there is anything that can drag us down. Last year was damn good for us and this year is already off to a great start." Scott takes another drink as soon as the last word falls from his mouth.

"We probably shouldn't be so sure that nothing bad is going to happen. That's the kind of attitude that leads to fuckin' shitstorms." Kid frowns ever-so-slightly. "Man, we don't need anything like that right now."

"I think we'll be all right." Scott chuckles. "I mean, I sure as hell hope we are."

I get where Kid is coming from, but I don't think there is any reason to worry. "Things can go wrong at any moment, but that's no reason to downplay our success." I send Kid a smile, which he returns.

"You're right. Let's enjoy the hell out of this!" Kid cheers before downing his drink. He lets out a content sigh afterwards, and as he does, a huge whiff of alcohol hits me. Damn, I'd love to be throwing it down with them right now.

To take my mind off of my desire for alcohol, I grab a cigarette and light it up. Being responsible absolutely sucks sometimes, but it's whatever. Something actually would happen to us if the four of us drunk like we wanted and then tried to drive back to the hotel.

As I smoke, I lean back in my seat and listen to my boys talk to one another. Just looking at the three of them, I'm reminded of how happy they make me. These are the moments I live for, the fun nights after a long day of work that are just spent talking about everything. I feel like these are the times when we're all super relaxed and just in our best moods overall.

"So, how long do you think it'll be before we drop the tag titles for a while? I know we're supposed to 'lose' them for like a night soon, but when do you think we'll be without them for more than that?" Scott looks over at Kev. "I doubt it'll be anytime soon."

"It'll at least be several months down the line. I'm pretty sure the plan as of now is for us to keep them to at least August, maybe even longer. Who knows how things will end up on this crazy ride." Kev shrugs, running the tip of one of his fingers around the top of his cup. "And Hulk? Who knows when they'll have him drop that belt, if they ever do. He could keep the title until the nWo is long gone. I don't know." Kev takes a long drink before motioning for one of the bar workers to come get them all refills.

"You sure we can't get you anything to drink, pretty lady?" The bartender asks, sending me what I'm sure he thinks is a charming smile as he pours my friend's drinks. This boy looks like he's just old enough to be buying alcohol, let alone serving it.

"I'm fine, thank you." I chuckle, taking a drag on my smoke to try and get across that I'm not interested. He coyly shrugs and sends me a wink, regardless.

"If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

"Got it." I mutter, exhaling my smoke above my head. The boy sends me a grin before he heads on back to tend to the others. "He tried."

"Did he, though? I mean, come on, if you planned on buying drinks, you would've already." Kid laughs.

"I don't think a few 'smooth' looks are going to sell booze to me; and hell, if it can't sell the booze, it sure as shit isn't selling anything else." As I put out my cigarette in the ash tray, I hear Scott choke on his drink.

"Damn, Joli, you weren't giving that boy any kind of shot, were you? You're damn brutal sometimes." Scott then sends me a grin. "Ah, but that's something I've always liked about you."

"To be fair, the dude doesn't have any game. If you're trying to pick up a woman that's surrounded by three other guys, you've got to be desperate." Kev mutters after taking a drink. "I mean, shit, I can't say I blame him for trying something with Joli. She's a catch. But come on, if he really wants laid, he's got to try harder than that."

"Some guys aren't good at picking up chicks. I mean, have you seen half of the guys in the locker room? Oh god, some of the guys back when I first joined the WWF were horrible with the ladies." Kid leans over the table. "Like, it was bad."

"To be fair, Kid, you weren't necessarily all that suave when you joined the WWF, either. Oh my god, do you remember that night in like, what, '93, when we went to some club and you spent two hours trying to win this one chick over? She wouldn't even give you the time of day, but goddamn, you tried." Scott leans over to his left and ruffles Kid's hair. "You looked so lame and pathetic then, I'm honestly surprised she didn't bang you out of pity."

"Man, shut up. I've gotten better! I can't keep the ladies off of me now." Kid is trying to act like he didn't get a little flustered, but he's not doing a good job at it.

"You have gotten a lot better. Or maybe it's just that you're a lot more recognizable now." Kev smirks as he takes another drink.

"Shut up." Kid mutters, sulking down into his chair. He, Kev, and Scott exchange joking expressions before laughing about it.

Sex has always been something simple for all of us. I mean, shit, I've been with multiple men over the past few years, but I haven't kept any sort of relationship with any of them; aside from Scott and Kev, anyway. Every other fuck has just been a one-night ordeal, the way it should be.

By the time the guys are finished drinking, the bar we're in is starting to close. Kev and Scott aren't completely hammered, but Kid is. Kev slings the giggling Kid over his shoulders and carries him out, with Scott and I in tow. The young bartender tries to flirt with me as we leave, but before I can say anything, Scott slaps my ass and sends the boy a wink. I smile and wrap an arm around Scott's waist as he starts to stumble.

As soon as we're back at the hotel, I grab a beer and pop open the top of it. While Kev drops Kid on a bed, I take a long drink, enjoying the way the alcohol slides down my throat. It feels good to make up for some lost time. I take a seat in one of the office chairs and watch Scott and Kev make themselves comfortable.

We really are at the top right now, aren't? I can't say there are any other people in the world I'd love to share this spot with.

Chapter 11: good lord

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

"Anyway, what do you guys want to do? We've still got a few hours before the show starts." Scott leans back against the closest wall in our locker room, looking between me and Kid. "Food should be here before too much longer."

"We could just sit around and kill some time. I'm sure Joli will be here soon." Kid replies as he sits down on a bench across from me. "Whenever she gets here, we could all grab a bite."

"That fine with you, man?" Scott looks over at me as he folds his arms across his chest. "I mean if you've got any ideas, I'm up for anything."

"It doesn't matter to me. I'm cool with just killing some time." Like Kid said, Joli should be here before too much longer. She's riding with Dallas and Kim today, since me, Kid, and Scott had to be here so early. We had meetings and all kinds of boring shit this morning.

I grab my bag out of the floor and open it up. I'm going to go ahead and get my gear out, so that I can just snag it and change whenever the time comes. However, the moment I look down at my bag, I mutter an aggravated, "Fuck."

"What is it, big guy?" Scott tries to peer over so that he can look in the bag, but I drop it to the floor in frustration.

"I forgot my fuckin' pants at the hotel. They must've fallen out of my bag last night when I was getting shit out of it." Ugh, this is great. I get up out of my seat and walk over to Kid, holding out my hand. "Give me the keys. I'm going to call the hotel and see if Joli's still there. If she's not, I'm just going to run back and get them myself."

"You sure? I'll go get them for you, if you want me to." Kid offers as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the keys. "I don't mind."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm the one that forgot it." I shrug as Kid hands me the keys. I slide them into my pocket before giving Scott and Kid a little wave. "I'll see you guys eventually."

"All right. See you." Scott chuckles as I leave the room.

I head on out towards the nearest phone and dial up the hotel, making sure that I get sent to our room. The phone rings and rings, but I don't get an answer. I guess Joli, Kim, and Dally have already left. Looks like I'm hauling my ass back to the hotel after all; it's not too long of a drive though, so I guess it isn't that big of a deal. I just can't believe I fuckin' forget a damn part of my gear.

It happens to all of us at some point or another, right? I've forgot little parts of my gear before, but it's always been something simple that I can do without. I mean, I guess the pants aren't necessary, but I'd rather have them than not. At least I've got plenty of time, though.

The drive back to the hotel isn't very eventful, and once I'm there I head up to our room. I slip the room key out of my wallet once I'm at the door, and once it's unlocked, I swing it open.

Oh. There she is. There's Joli.

"Hello." I blurt out, staring at Joli's near-naked form. She's standing right in sight of the door with her hair soaked and only a towel covering her body. Holy fuck.

"Kev! Goddammit, close the door!"

"Oh, right."

I quickly scurry into the room and shut the door behind me as Joli lets out a sigh. I give her a grin as she takes a seat on our bed. She's blushing now, poor thing.

"Sorry, babe. I thought you'd left already. I forgot my ring pants here, and uh, I called to see if you were still here, but you were obviously in the shower." I apologize as I mindlessly look around the room for my pants. Of course they're in the corner, under my other bag.

"It's fine. It's just a little startling when you're solely wearing a towel and the door flies open on you." Joli giggles as I toss my pants on the desk. The moment I lay eyes on her again, I feel my cock start to harden. She's still wearing her towel, but God, she's so hot.

"So, uh, when are Dallas and Kimberly leaving?" I ask as I try my damnedest to avert my attention away from the top of her breasts, which is all I can currently see of them.

Jolene sees right through me, as she always does. A smirk comes to her lips as she leans back on the bed, propping herself up with her hands. She un-crosses her legs, making it much easier for me to see what's between them.

"They won't be here anytime soon, I'm sure. Kim called me right before I got into the shower and said they'd be at least another hour and a half."

"Perfect." I chuckle as I undo my belt. "We've got plenty of time, then." Joli lets her towel fall back onto the sheets as I pull my pants and underwear down.

I mean, I hadn't necessarily planned on coming back here and fucking Joli, but if it's what she wants...

I walk over to Joli and she motions for me to take a seat; ah, so that's how she wants to play this, huh? She gets up off of the bed and walks over to one of her bags, and as I watch her, I stoke my cock. It's been a while since Joli and I have had a decent amount of time to fuck, so I'm ready to enjoy the hell out of this.

The way Joli moves as she searches through her bag is so damn teasing. She's too damn good at this, I swear. I know she's probably found a condom by now, but I can't complain about getting some good looks at her hot body.

"Got it." Joli turns back around rather quickly, holding the little sealed square between two of her fingers. As she moves, her tits bounce, and subsequently my cock twitches. I pump myself a couple of more times before just motioning her towards me.

"Get your sweet little ass over here Jolene." I groan, keeping an eye on her as she saunters back over to me. Joli drops the condom in my lap and I quickly open it and slide it on. "You ready?"

"Oh, you know I am." She's so fuckin' hot, oh my god. The moan that comes out of her lips as she gets on top of me and lowers onto my cock drives me wild. My hands go to Joli's hips as she starts rockin', riding my dick like only she can. Yeah, this is nice.

I love the way her body moves and the way that she looks when she's on me. The shitty lighting of the hotel is shining off her sweat and she looks like a fuckin' goddess. I groan as Joli grinds against me, her hands going up to rest on my shoulders.

"Fuck, Joli, just like that. Ah, God, yeah, keep that up." My hands are gripping her hips, but she's moving on her own. I love it when Joli takes control. She's so fuckin' good at this.

"Is this what you want?" Joli lets out this hot little chuckle before she starts bobbing up on my cock at a quick speed. I take a moment to catch my breath, then start thrusting up to meet her. Joli's moaning so loud now, God, I love it.

When I feel myself growing closer to my release, I tighten my grip on Joli's hips with one hand while my other goes up to her breasts. They're perfect in my eyes, as is she.

"Joli, babe, I'm almost there. Fuck, just keep going."

"Me too, Kev. Oh fuck, me too." The moment Joli's finished, she falls forward, so that her face is against my neck. It only takes a couple of more thrusts for me to join her in a sweet release. I wrap my arms around Joli for just a moment and she does the same to me. We hold each other as we catch our breath.

"Well fuck, that was nice." I mutter as Jolene moves off of me. She moves over to the spot on the bed at my left before simply falling back on it, a smile on her lips.

"It was. Sex with you is always absolutely amazing." I'm unable to stop myself from grinning at her compliment.

"Thanks. I'm glad you think so highly of my fucking abilities." We both laugh. I run a hand through my now sweaty hair before removing the condom and standing up. Whew.

I pull my underwear up with one hand and awkwardly waddle to the nearest trash can with the condom in one hand. Once I've dropped the rubber, I squat to grab my pants, but a knock on the door startles the fuck out of me.

"Shit!" Joli hisses as she darts off of the bed, grabbing the clothes that she had laid out for herself. I watch her scurry as I pull up my pants. "Dallas and Kim must be early. Stall them!"

"How?" I'm already walking towards the door.

"Just figure it out, I don't know!" Joli laughs and darts into the bathroom. She slams the door behind her as I open the main door.

For just a moment, Dallas and Kimberly seem surprised to see me. I look between them as they both look me over, obviously figuring out what had been going on. Kim places a hand over her lips as she tries to stop herself from giggling while Dallas lets out a sigh and acquires a grin.

"Hey. I guess you two are here for Joli?" I try to start a casual conversation, but Dallas isn't having it.

"Good lord, can you two stop fuckin' each other for five minutes? I swear, it's like every time you and Jolene are left alone, you're sticking your dick in her." Huh. He's not entirely wrong about that.

"Page! Oh my God, be nice." Kimberly's now unable to stop herself from giggling. She sends me a small smile. "I'm sorry, Kevin."

"Hey, he's not bothering me. Joli and I have a lot of fun." I grin. "I'm sure you two have some good times, too."

"Ah, that's not the point." Dallas laughs again. I hear the bathroom door open, and look over to see Joli walking over towards us. She's dressed now, but it's obvious that she rushed it. I mean, she still looks damn good, but come on, her fly is down.

"I'm so sorry, guys. I was about to get dressed when Kev came back because he had forgotten his pants." Joli apologizes, placing a hand on my arm as she scoots over to see Dallas and Kim. "I'll just ride with Kev, so that you don't have to wait on me."

"Oh, I think you've done quite a lot of riding with Kevin today." Dallas' comment takes me off guard and I can't help but laugh. Kimberly gasps and slaps his arm, but Joli merely grins and shrugs.

"I mean, you're not wrong." Joli replies oh-so-innocently. Kim takes one glance at me and Joli before she bursts into laughter.

"Come on, Page. Let's give them some privacy." She wraps an arm around one of his and starts to pull him away, but not before he makes one last little quip.

"We'll see you two fuck birds at the arena!"

"Fuck birds?" I mutter once Dallas and Kim are out of sight. I shut the door and turn to look at Joli, who is now standing in front of a mirror and looking over herself.

"Shit, I need another shower. My hair is a mess and I'm all sweaty and gross now." Joli huffs, looking over at me with a bemused smirk. "Thanks a lot, Nash."

"You're welcome." I hum as I walk back over to our bed and lay down atop the blankets, not even bothering to take my shoes off. "Go fix yourself and we'll leave whenever you get done, okay?"

"All right. I'll be quick." Joli sends me a smile before heading off into the bathroom. I stretch out and watch her leave.

Joli can take as long as she needs, I don't care. We've got plenty of time before Nitro begins, and besides, she's always worth the wait.

Chapter 12: down

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

I take one final look at my house before slamming my trunk and walking over to the driver's side of my car. It's been a long weekend, but damn, it's been good. I can't remember when the last time I got keep Cody for so long was, but I like to think we made the most of every minute. We went to the park, to the movies, I took him to get some nice ice cream...

It was just a good time, the kind that I cherish one-hundred percent. I mean, he's my pride and joy. It doesn't matter if I'm just getting him for a couple of days like usual, or several like this time. I love my lil' Codster.

Once I've set the radio and all that, I head on out on the road. Where I was pretty busy this weekend, Kev, Kid, and Joli went ahead and got our hotel room and rental for the week taken care. I'm really lucky to have as solid of a group as I have, aren't I? If I need any help from any of them, they're always right there without the slightest bit of hesitation. A lot of people don't have that.

Then again, I just feel so damn off today. I shouldn't, and I know I shouldn't, but I do. It's like my head isn't in the right place, for whatever reason. I had a great weekend and I know I'm going to have a great time on the road, so really, why does it have to be like this?

I'm happy. I'm healthy. I have a handsome young son. My friends are the absolute best in the entire fuckin' world.

But I'm down. I'm not feeling myself. It's like things just aren't right in me today, and for the life of me I don't know why.

It happens sometimes, I know; or at least, I've felt this way before. I've gone through many different days where I'm not at the top of my game because my mind has gotten clouded, but I've always pushed on through anyway. I don't feel absolutely horrible today, so I think that's a positive. There have been many, many days where I've been a lot worse off than I am now.

I really don't want to go back to that. Times got pretty bad on occasion back in the WWF, a couple of years in. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, but I've come back from that. I'm not going to fall that deep again; I can't. I shouldn't have let it happen then, but I didn't know how to deal with it. My mind has got the better of me far too many times now and I'm not going to allow that to continue.

I just hope this isn't a common reoccurrence. I thought I had grown past all of this sad bullshit and these dark thoughts, but whoops, looks like they're trying to make a comeback. I'm in a better place now than I was back then. I'm in a less strenuous job and I'm making a hell of a lot more money. I mean, shit, I miss Shawn and Paul, but Kev, Joli, and Kid keep me going.

I'm better. My life is better. I know that for a fact. I just shouldn't feel this way.

As I stop at an intersection, I lean my head back against the headrest and let out a long sigh. I'm trying to cheer myself up today, but I can't shake this damn feeling. It's like someone's holding a blanket over my head and stopping as much happiness from coming through as possible. It's physically draining, feeling like this. At least I'll be with the rest of the crew soon, right?

I shouldn't rely on my friends as my big source of happiness, but today, I know they'll be able to help. I'm banking on today not being the beginning of a long line of days where I feel like shit, and honestly, I think that may work if I keep myself occupied enough. I can spend enough time with everyone and clear my mind. It might not be the best idea, but it's what I'm going with.

All right, you know what? I need to stop with this for a while. Thinking this much isn't going to get me anywhere. I turn up the radio before lightly slapping the side of my face, a simple way of telling myself to get over it and focus on the road. With another, smaller sigh, I lose myself in the music and continue on my journey.

When I park at our new hotel, my eyes instantly land on my best friends. They're all gathered around some little smoking section, and from what I can tell it looks like Joli just lit one up. I guess it's a good thing I got here when I did, then.

I get my bags out of the trunk and a cool breeze hits me as I walk over to everyone. It's not as cool today as it has been the past few days, but that's not a bad thing.

"Hey, there you are! We were wondering when you'd get here!" Kid greets me with a grin and a too sweet. I return both gestures, but the grin feels way too forced on my end. Fuck.

"Yeah. What're you guys doing out here? I'm assuming you weren't just waiting for me." I look over at Joli as she lets out a sigh, flicking her ashes onto the nearby road.

"The smoking rooms in this place were filled up when we got here, but they didn't let us know that until after we'd paid. It was a whole big mess, but I can handle hauling my ass out here if it means we don't lose money." She shrugs. Her gaze lingers on me for just a moment before she goes back to her cigarette.

"Hey, I'm going to go take Scott to the room, all right? You two decide what you want to do today while we're gone." Kev reaches into his pocket and pulls out the room key, holding it between two of his fingers. "Come on, we'll go get your shit put up."

"All right." I nod, sending Joli and Kid a wave before following after Kev. He's silent on our way to the room, but once we get inside and close the door behind us, he motions for me to sit down.

"Spill it. What's going on with you today?" Kev can read me like a goddamn book, can't he? "You feeling all right?" I go to open my mouth to reply, but before I speak, he adds, "Spare me the bullshit."

"I've not felt too good today, man. I don't know what it is, or why, but I've been off. I had a great fuckin' weekend. Cody and I had a damn blast. But, I've just been weird today." I always feel so bad talking about this stuff, you know? It's like I'm burdening Kev by letting him know about it.

"How bad are you feeling? Is this just one of your off days, or this leaning more towards one of your horrible days? It's seeming more like the former." I feel like we've had this conversation a million times, and that's probably not too far from the truth.

"You're right. This isn't one of the worse days, but I'm so damn down. I want to be happy, I want to laugh, but it feels like I have to force anything like that."

Kev stares at me for a minute before shoving his hands down into his pockets and leaning against the nearby wall. He's trying to study my reactions, I know. There are times when he can pick up on the slightest thing and know I'm in one of these moods but there are other times that I just wish he could see what's wrong.

"We'll just have to make you super-happy, then. You've gone through this shit a lot, and I've always been right here with you, haven't I? So, we'll do whatever you want to do today. I know you probably feel like you don't want to do shit, but doing something you like will be good for you. Kid and Joli have probably come up with tons of possibilities of things we can do, and I'm sure there will be something there that you're into. If it gets to be too much, we'll go from there. You've just got to work with me, all right? I know that you want to feel better today."

An actual, genuine smile comes to my lips as I stand back up from the bed cross my arms over my chest. Kev smiles too, and wraps an arm around my shoulders for just a moment so that he can pull me in close and ruffle my hair with his other hand. He chuckles and as he does so, I find it impossible to stop myself from laughing along with him.

"You see? That's the shit I want to hear. We'll keep you laughing and grinning like a damn maniac if that's what it takes to make you feel better." Kev pats my back before walking over to the door and placing a hand on the knob. "You ready to head back out, or would you like to talk a few more minutes?"

"I'm good." I look up at Kev as I walk over behind him. Kev nods and turns the knob, and as we walk on out to see Kid and Joli, he speaks again.

"Just let me know if you need anything, all right?" I nod and we head back outside in silence once again.

I don't feel perfect, but on days like this that's a hard thing to accomplish. However, I will say that I do feel a hell of a lot better after talking to Kev. I don't know what it is, he just has a way with words that can almost always make me feel a lot better. He's saved my ass so many different times, and I hope he understands how much I appreciate him. Kev is the fuckin' best.

Joli and Kid are right where we left them, except now, Joli's finished her cigarette. We must've just missed a joke or something, because when we walk up to them, Joli's giggling her ass off and Kid has a proud smirk on his lips.

God, I love Joli's laugh. It's so cute and pure. Even when I don't feel the best, she still manages to make my heart skip a beat.

"We're gone for just a few minutes and it looks like we missed all of the damn fun." Kev jokes, walking over between the two and placing a hand on each of their shoulders. Joli just laughs even more. "All right, all right. What did you two decide on for what we should do?"

We spend the next few minutes just standing in the smoking area and batting ideas back and forth, and although it may seem like something simple to most, it brought a smile to my face. These three goofs that I call my best friends can just be so ridiculous at times that I can't help but love them. I know Kev noticed that I was feeling down, but I think Joli and Kid had noticed, too; well, maybe not Joli. I've tried to hide my messed up mind from her, but she knows I've been through some shit.

Ah, fuck it, I don't need to be worrying about that right now! The point of the matter is, I have the best friends in the whole damn world and I'm lucky to have them. There aren't many people out there like Kev who have ever tried to genuinely cheer me up when I'm down. And Kid? Joli? They're fuckin' irreplaceable.

Even when my mind is a mess, it's hard for me to feel completely down when I'm with these three.

Chapter 13: over the years

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I let out a heavy sigh as I drop down against the wall nearest Scott in the gym, feeling my body relax as I cross my legs. We've been in the gym all morning, just working out and having an overall great time. Of course, I'm completely done now, but Scott's still going.

You know, I'm always impressed any time I go to the gym with Scott. He's so damn dedicated to it, it's crazy; I mean, it's obvious that his hard work pays off. His physique is fuckin' stunning and I know he's proud of it. He has every right to be.

I pull a bottle of water out of my nearby bag and chug it while Scott continues going on with his workout. He should be finishing up before too much longer, but I'm not sure what our plans after that are. Ah well, we'll figure it out.

Once Scott's done, he grabs a towel and a bottle of water before flopping down beside of me. I smile and watch as he runs the towel over his head, wiping away as much sweat as he possibly can. Before he talks, he downs his bottle of water and wraps a sticky arm around my shoulder.

"Damn! That felt good, didn't it? I love a long workout." Scott chuckles. "Was that as good for you as it was for me?"

"Did we finish a workout or did we just fuck for the first time?" I joke, looking up at him. Scott laughs even more. "I had a good time, though. It was nice."

"Damn right it was. I haven't felt this refreshed in a while." Scott relaxes for a moment, and I lean against him. "Thanks for coming out with me this morning."

"I enjoyed it! I may not go as hard in the gym as you or Kev or Kid, but it's something I like. Hell, part of the fun is just watching you have a good time." I look up at Scott and give him a smile. He pulls me closer with the arm he has wrapped around me, giving me a small hug.

"You're the best, Joli. You know that?"

"I try." I chuckle softly, enjoying the moment.

After we've taken a small break, Scott stands up and then reaches his hand down to me. I graciously take it and he pulls me up with very little effort, something that makes us both grin. We bag up our shit and throw our bags over our shoulders.

"Let's go get ourselves cleaned up before we go grab a bite. Sound good?" Scott asks as he pulls the keys from his pocket. I nod, following his lead out to the car. I slide into the passenger seat while Scott gets behind the wheel.

We're halfway back to the hotel when Scott springs a random question on me out of the blue. It's not anything bad, but it's not something I had expected.

"Did you ever look into becoming a wrestler, Joli? I feel like I've never really talked to you about that, but it's something I'm genuinely curious about. Or, shit, have you always just aspired to be a manager?"

"To be honest, wrestling has always been something that I've thought about doing. I mean, isn't that every wrestling fan's dream at some point or another?" I chuckle. "But really , I don't think that's something I was ever meant to do. I just don't think that's my place in the business."

"I get what you're saying. I mean, the manager role is fuckin' awesome. Some of the damn coolest people in our business have never had an actual match." Scott sends me a smile. "And no, that's not just me buttering you up."

I jokingly roll my eyes, but I can't help but wear a smile, too. "I'm happy with where I am, but I do sometimes think about what could've been."

"I'm sure you would've been a damn good wrestler, babe, but I have to say, I'm actually really glad your career has taken the path that it has. I mean, if you hadn't been brought in the way you were, who knows if we'd have been able to meet up like we did? My life would be so strange without you in it." For just a moment, Scott sends me this sweet, genuine expression. It makes my heart leap.

"My life would be completely different if Dally hadn't brought me in as a quiet little Doll. I'm so grateful for how things have played out. I don't know where I'd be if I weren't right here with you." It crosses my mind on occasion, how different things would be if I hadn't met Dallas and Kimberly. Without them, I wouldn't have met Scott, or Kev. Without Scott and Kev, I definitely wouldn't have met Kid. I wouldn't even know the five people I care about most if it weren't for one luck meeting. "I'm happy with my life."

"And I'm happy I get to have you in mine." Scott grins as he pulls into the parking lot at the hotel. As he parks the car and we subsequently exit it, Scott says, "We've both come a long way since days as a Studd and a Doll, haven't we?"

"Oh, definitely. I like to think we've both mellowed out a lot." I giggle. Over the years a lot has stayed the same; but a lot has also changed. "We're not as careless as we once were."

"Wiser, stronger, calmer, hotter... We've made a lot of progress." Scott chuckles as we head into the hotel, making our way towards our room. I have to nod in agreement. "God, do you remember how weird we were around one another when we first met?"

Just thinking about it makes me laugh once more. "You wouldn't happen to be referring to all of that sexual tension for the first couple of weeks of our friendship, would you? Those were some wild days."

Scott sends me a smirk as he replies. "Back when we fucked pretty much every time we saw each other? Yeah, those are the days I'm referring to. We both wanted to get to know each other so badly, but the only way either of us knew how to properly introduce ourselves was through sex."

I'm not dumb. I know what he's trying to do, and fuck, it's working. I squeeze my thighs together as I watch Scott open up the door to our room.

"I wouldn't imagine you brought that up for any specific reason?" I ask nonchalantly as I head into our room. Scott follows me in, so that he can briefly lean against the door once it's closed.

"Oh, I don't know, babe. What do you think?" Scott's voice can be so alluring, like it is right now. I smirk and move closer to him, making it so that our bodies are pressed against one another.

"Well, I think that it means that you'd like to have a little bit of fun before we head out to lunch, but I'm not sure." I stare up into Scott's narrowed eyes as I begin to grind against him. Fuck, I love the feeling of his cock hardening against me.

"You might just be right on that." Scott let's out a small, hot chuckle as he smacks a hand on my ass. I instantly press closer to him, a small moan escaping my lips as Scott thrusts towards me once. "Let's learn about each other all over again, babe."

I don't know what it is about Scott, but he's always been such a damn good lover. Hey, who am I to complain, though?

Scott starts pulling his shorts down while I take care of my own pair. As we both quickly undress, Scott's sending me this little smirk, and I absolutely love it. His eyes scan my body and I can't help the feeling of pure excitement that courses through me. I'm ready for this.

As soon as my bra, the last piece of clothing between us, is discarded, Scott has his gruff hands all over me. I back up against one of the walls, slightly gasping as my bare ass and back connect with the cool surface. Scott has me pressed against the wall now, with his hands and mouth sliding across me.

The two of us have been a bit more active over the past few months, since we went to my high school reunion, but honestly? It's just been a lot of oral; now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but a change of pace is quite nice. Besides, as quiet as Scott is being right now, it really does feel like one of the first times we hooked up. Oh, those were some good days!

With every little move Scott makes, I feel myself growing wetter and wetter. I need him, and I need him soon. As his mouth trails soft kisses down my neck and down my chest, I raise his face ever-so-slightly so that he looks up into my eyes. He reads my expression immediately, obviously understanding it without any sort of problem. He knows me. He knows me well.

Scott kisses my waistline and sends me a wink before motioning for me to head on to the bed. I sit down on the edge as I watch him grab a condom from his bag, open it up, and slide it on his hardened length. He heads over to where I'm sitting and pumps his cock a couple of times before making sure that the condom is still perfectly in place. Scott spreads my legs with a smirk.

He runs two skillful fingers across my entrance, teasing me to no end. I can tell by the little gleam in his eyes that he so desperately wants to make a smug little comment about how wet he's made me, but he's holding himself back. Huh. His dedication to this is impressive.

For just a moment, Scott thrusts his fingers inside of me and I go weak. I can't help but completely crave his touch. My moan is obviously a good enough reaction for him, because Scott quickly removes his fingers and replaces them with his cock.

As my arms wrap around Scott's neck, my hands tangle into his sweaty dark hair. Scott places one hand on my hip and the other on one of my legs, so that he can make sure he reaches the perfect angle for both of us. Oh fuck, he's got it!

I bury my face against Scott's neck as we fuck, neither one of us really able to contain our moans and groans. This feels so god, I can barely control myself. The way our bodies connect has always been something that blows my mind.

Goddamn, Scott Hall. God-fucking-damn.

Scott's speed increases and I moan as he slightly digs his nails into my hips. He's getting close, but so am I. I pull on his hair, just hard enough to get his attention, and I hear him let out a small chuckle.

Once we reach our highs, Scott kisses my shoulder blade and pulls out. He pants as he removes the condom as disposes of it, but I barely see him, as I've already fallen back onto the bed. I position one of my arms behind my head to prop myself up a little bit while my other arm lays across my chest.

"Holy fuck, Jolene. You really are the best, you know that? You're just... Wow." Scott grins as he lays down beside of me on his back, so that he's looking up at the ceiling like I am. He grabs a couple of pillows and hands me one of them while using the other himself. I fix the pillow behind my head before crossing both of my arms under my chest.

"You're not too bad either, babe. There's always been something special between us in bed, that's for sure." I chuckle, sending Scott a quick grin. "We're pretty damn good at what we do."

"Hell yeah we are." Scott turns to look at me for just a moment, and I turn back so that I can look at him, too. I can see something is going on his mind; he wants to say something, but I don't know what. "So, where do you want to go get lunch at?"

I highly doubt that was what he wanted to say, but I'm not going to question it. Whatever it is, if it's important, he'll tell me when he's ready. I start naming off places in the area, and soon enough, we've found a place to eat.

I love getting to spend time with Scott, even when it doesn't result in super-amazing sex. He's such a good guy, and I'm so glad we've been able to grow so close over the years.

Chapter 14: accidental

Kevin Nash's POV


- - -

The adrenaline that courses through my veins as I walk out the ring with my two best friends is nearly indescribable. The world is watching as I throw up a too sweet and glance over at Scott and Joli, the most smug grins upon all of our lips. It's time for us to have a throwaway tag match against Harlem Heat, pretty much just to get us on the card. It works for me, though.

Once our entrance is finished, Joli blows Book and Stevie a kiss and winks at Scott and I before exiting the ring and standing on the floor outside of it. I pat Scott's back before stepping over the top rope and moving to the ring skirt, one hand holding onto the tag rope. Book does the same thing I do, since Scott and Stevie are starting us off.

The crowd is hot, as usual. It seems like we've got a group that are more WCW than nWo, which is rare at this point. It's actually kind of nice for us to be getting the reactions we're technically supposed to.

When Scott tags me in, I start wailing on Stevie. Scott works the crowd while Joli sneaks over to flirt with Book, taking away his attention. I feel like Joli's really settled into her character over the past couple of months, and I think that's awesome. She's always been a good, natural heel, but I just feel like her recent work has been some of her best. I'm proud of her.

The referee starts threatening Joli, so she backs off of Book and returns to our side. I knock Stevie down into our corner and tag Scott back in. I quickly glance down at Joli and share a quick grin with her after I've exited the ring once more.

The match goes on and on, and as we draw close to the end of the match, Joli hops up on the ring skirt on our side, standing on the opposite side of the turnbuckle from me. Scott and Stevie are in the ring, and it's just about time for Joli's little spot where she distracts Stevie and costs them the match.

I jump down and make my way over to Booker, who is begging for Stevie to tag him in. Once I reach Booker's side, I rip him down and start laying into him. Right as I land a kick on Book's back, I hear Joli shriek, but it's unlike anything I've ever heard from her before.

Oh, fuck.

I stop beating up Booker the moment her voice hits my ears, and I notice that she's neither standing on the ring skirt nor anywhere near ringside. What the hell happened?

Scott takes a quick glance over at where Joli had been before quickly calling the finish to Stevie. I dart over to where Joli should be as Scott gets Stevie up for the Outsider's Edge.

When I reach Joli, a referee is already at her side. I have to stop myself from cringing as my eyes land on her left ankle, which is obviously snapped. It looks like the damn bone is about to go through her skin. I can't make this look any worse than it actually is, not on camera. The crowd is going crazy, and everyone close to the barricade is trying to rush over and see what happened.

Joli's in so much pain that I can barely stand to look at her. I hate seeing her like this. The ref discretely motions for me to get back in the ring, so I send Joli a reassuring grin before turning my attention to the match.

I step over the top rope as Scott gets the three-count.

Scott and I weakly celebrate as Stevie and Booker head backstage. I can tell Scott's pissed and confused, and honestly, so am I. I don't know what happened, but I do know that Joli is fucked. She's in so much pain and there's nothing either of us can do to help her.

By the time Scott and I get the signal to leave the ring, Joli's already been taken backstage. They carted her out in a stretcher, and I hope they were gentle with her. If they move her too much, they'll end up making things a million times worse. The moment Scott and I are through the curtains, Kid rushes up to us.

"They just took Joli out in an ambulance. Like, right as you guys got here. I've still got a match later tonight, so if you guys want to head on out, I'll be there ASAP!" Kid's words are frantic, but I understand him clearly. Scott pats Kid's shoulder as a form of 'thanks' as we both dart off towards the locker room.

Even though we're both sweaty and gross, neither Scott nor I bother to shower. We don't even change out of our damn gear, we just throw on some different clothes overtop of it. With our bags over our shoulders, Scott and I rush out of the arena and head towards the nearest hospital.

"So, what even fuckin' happened?" I ask as Scott starts driving. "I turned my back for like two minutes!"

"Stevie and I didn't have things set up right, and when I swung him across the ring, he ended up bumping into Joli and knocking her off of the ring. Fuck, it just came out of nowhere! She wasn't ready for it and she landed the wrong way, best I can tell." I can't tell if Scott is trying to blame himself more, or Stevie. "How bad was it? I didn't get a good look at her."

"Her ankle snapped. It looked like a goddamn mess." I sigh, running a hand through my sweaty hair. The cold February air has helped cool me down, but I'm so stressed I just barely notice it. "She's never had an injury in the business before, has she?"

"Not a one. I mean, she's obviously taken plenty of bumps before, but she's never been seriously hurt. I can't even remember her telling me about any broken bones or anything before she got signed." Scott groans. "Let's just hope that they get her pain under control.

"Definitely."

It all just happened so quickly. I don't think that there was anything that me or Scott could've done to prevent it; sometimes, shitty things like this happen in our industry. I just wish it hadn't been Joli.

The drive to the hospital isn't a long one, and once we've parked, Scott and I rush to the front desk. Some chick that looks like she's our age is working the counter, but it doesn't look like she's in too cheery of a mood.

"Where's Jolene Milford? She must've just been brought in through an ambulance." I look over at Scott as he speaks, and I can't help but wonder if I look as bad as he does. I probably do.

"Are you her husband?" Of course that's the first question she asks. When Scott groans and shakes his head, she turns to me. "What about you?"

"Nope. Neither of us are married to Jolene, or even dating her. But, we're the ones that are here for her and we'd appreciate it if you'd just tell us where she's at." I sigh, looking into the woman's narrowed eyes. She looks between Scott and I for a moment before making a quick phone call.

"Yes, I'm calling to check on the location of Jolene Milford? Ah, okay. I have two gentlemen here asking for her. They are..." She looks towards Scott and I.

"Scott Hall and Kevin Nash." Scott spits out almost immediately. The woman nods and resumes her call.

"They're Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Okay, I'll wait... Yes, all right. I'll let them know. Thank you." Once she's hung the phone up, the woman once more turns her attention to us. "Miss Milford is currently in the middle of being set up in a room. She is in an immense amount of pain, but that is something that we are working diligently to control. Her ankle has been fractured, and our main focus is making sure that it does not break through her skin." Fuckin' hell, of course it's that bad.

"When will we be able to see her?" I ask warily, looking over at Scott. "What are you going to be able to do for her?"

"I've been instructed to tell you two to go to one of our waiting rooms, where one of our nurses will inform you more of Miss Milford's condition. Upon hearing that the two of you were here, she perked up and requested that we let you see her as soon as possible." The woman then leans forward, pointing to a nearby hallway. "Head down that hallway and make a left. At the end of that hallway, you should be to make a right. The waiting room is the third door on the left."

"Thanks." Scott pats the desk before we take off. We're not really running, just walking quickly. The sooner we get to the waiting room, the sooner we can find out what's going on with Joli.

The room is empty, aside from a middle-aged woman in a nurse's outfit. She sees us approaching, and once we're inside the room, she greets us.

"Hello, are you Mr. Hall and Mr. Nash?" We nod, and she gives us a small wave in greeting. "All right, well, it seems that Jolene is going to be having surgery in the morning to make sure that her ankle isn't damaged anymore than it already is. She will also be put in a cast. After her surgery, she will be on strict bedrest for a few weeks, and on crutches for a while after that. It's uncertain how long at this point; it all depends on how well she heals and how quickly."

"What about once she's off of the crutches? Will she be in a brace or something like that?" I ask, shoving my hands in my pockets. My heart aches. Poor Joli.

"It's hard to say at this point." The nurse sends us sympathetic smiles. "What is her profession?"

"She's a professional wrestling manager. She usually accompanies us to the ring and does little things to help us in matches, like distract the referee and our opponents and things like that." Scott explains. "We're on TNT weekly, on WCW's Monday Nitro."

"Oh, I thought I recognized your names! Okay, okay. I see." It looks like a lightbulb just went off in the woman's head. "I'm not sure how long she will be off work, then. Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I'll go check on when you'll be able to visit with Jolene."

"Thank you." I mutter as the nurse leaves the room. Once she's out of sight, Scott and I both sit down in the uncomfortable ass seats. "Can you believe this shit? Surgery? Casts? Crutches? God." I sigh heavily.

"It's insane. Fuck, I feel so bad for her. I wish there was something we could do to help her, but I know there isn't. We've just got to stick it out and support her." Scott runs a hand through his hair and tilts his head back. "Who knows how long Joli will be off?"

"I just hope they've got her pain under control right now." She looked so miserable when I saw her.

"As do I. I just..." Scott trails off, glancing over at me for a moment. He is blaming himself for this, isn't he?

"It's not your fault, Scott. You didn't mean for it to happen, and neither did Stevie. Everyone gets fucked up by a botch at some point or another. "

"But why Joli?" Scott sounds so vulnerable. I wish I had an answer for him, but I don't. This shit sucks, and if I could change it around, I would. I shrug at Scott and throw my hands up. Both of our minds are a mess right now.

We sit there in silence until the nurse returns. Scott and I both stand up the moment we see her.

"I'm sorry for the wait. You can come with me for just a few minutes, because Jolene needs to just take it easy. She's not in as much pain right now, but she is still in a lot of it." She motions for us to follow her, and we do, like damn dogs. "Just be gentle with her, okay? She needs to rest as much as possible right now."

"Got it." I mutter as she opens up the curtain to Jolene's room. The moment I lay eyes on Joli, my breath hitches in my throat. Her leg is propped up and she's got several different IV's and shit hooked up to her, and it's honestly such a sad sight. Once she sees us, though, Joli brightens up.

"Hey, Joli." Scott puts on a smile as we walk over to her side, and I have to force one onto my face as well. "How're you feeling?"

"Like shit, if we're being honest. Oh fuck it hurts." Joli exhales slowly before taking a moment to compose herself. "I feel decent right now, but I just know it's going to get worse before it gets completely better."

"I hate to say it, but that's how these things work." I chuckle softly, placing one of my hands on top of hers. "You know we'll be here for you as much as we can be."

"Of course. We're not ditching our girl just 'cause her ankle got fucked." Scott grins, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Is there anything we can do to help make this less shitty for you?"

"Not that I can think of. Just having the two of you here really helps." God, even Joli's smile looks pitiful right now. "I can't even smoke right now." She jokes. Scott and I exchange amused yet sympathetic glances before Joli asks, "Is Kid coming?"

"Yeah. He should be here before too much longer." Scott looks around for a clock and checks the time. "Any minute now, I'm sure."

"Good. Let the little twit know I'm okay, all right?" Joli lets out a small, pitiful laugh before groaning. "I wish they could just do the surgery tonight."

"Soon, babe." I gently slide my thumb across the back of her hand. "You've just got to get through tonight."

"I know. It's a lot better if I don't think about it, but it's hard to not have it on my mind." I get what she's saying. Broken bones fucking suck. I would do anything to trade her places right now, though.

"I'm going to go see if Kid's made it, all right? That way he can see you for a little bit before they kick us out." Scott gives Joli this sad little smile. The guilt in his eyes kills me. I wish I could convince him that this wasn't his fault.

"Thanks, Scott." Joli tells him as he leaves us alone. She grabs my hand and holds it gently. "Thanks for staying with me for a little bit, Kev."

"I just wish there was more I could do for you right now, babe. I know this isn't any fun." I squeeze her hand, staring into her pain-filled eyes. "Things will be okay."

"I know. I'll be out of action for a while, but I'll make it back. This little accidental injury won't stop me." Joli gives me a little smile. "I mean, it'll stop for me for a few months, but not forever."

"I know what you meant." I grin. I guess the pain meds are really starting to work, because she seems like she's in a somewhat better mood. "You'll be back on your feet in no time."

I see her face light up for just a moment in amusement as she lets go of my hand. She's still hurting, I can tell, but at least I'm bringing her some sort of joy.

I'm glad that she's somewhat optimistic about coming back at this point, because I honestly don't know how good of a job I'd do cheering up. These next few months without her are going to suck; partially because we'll be separated, partially because she'll be pretty much alone the entire time.

But that's neither here nor there. Right now, all that matters is Joli. After I hear Kid's worried voice, I turn around just in time to see him stumble over a medical cart as he tries to run into the room. Joli and I both laugh.

Joli's a strong woman, but goddamn, I'm going to miss her. Hopefully, she won't be away for too long after this.

Chapter 15: different

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"She'll be going back any minute, since they just got her knocked out. She looked so sad, but I had her laughing right up until she closed her eyes." Kid sighs as he scratches the back of his neck. "You guys sure you don't want me to get you anything to eat before I leave? I really don't mind."

"I'm good." Kev looks over at me as he speaks, and I nod in agreement. "You can just head on out if you need to."

"I feel so bad about having to leave, but at least I got to see Joli before her surgery. Give her a hug for me, okay? And let her know I'll stop by to see her whenever I can." Kid looks heartbroken, but I'm not surprised. If he hadn't been called in for some corporate shit, he'd be staying right here with us.

"We will, man. I'm sure she appreciated the hell out of you going back with her." I pat Kid's back and give him a smile. The hospital only allowed one of us to stay with Joli while they prepped her for surgery, and since Kid can be the most comical in tense situations, he was the one we chose. It sounds like he took care of her, so we made the right choice.

"I guess I'll see you guys, then. Call me as soon as you can!" Kid frowns as he goes to leave.

"See you, brother." Kev waves as Kid walks off. "We'll update you ASAP!"

"Thanks!"

Kev and I both watch Kid leave before we start speaking to each other. It's only the morning after Joli got injured, but goddamn, it feels like it's been days. I slept like shit in these little hospital chairs, and I know it had to have been worse on Kev. I mean, it's kind of obvious it was; he looks exhausted. He's a tall guy and that shit was hard. The stress didn't help, either.

"How long do you think her surgery will take?" Kev asks as he leans back in his chair. "'Couple of hours?"

"Something like that, I'm sure." I reply, trying to come up with some sort of real answer. My brain feels fried. "Two, two and a half at most. They did say that if it goes smoothly, she'll be released tonight, right? Or did I make that up at some point?"

"No, they said that. Remember? We told her we'd take her home." Kev jokingly shoves my shoulder and we both laugh. "We'll have to rotate on the way there. I know you're as tired as I am, so we'll take turns napping. I just hope Joli's not in too much pain afterwards." Kev then sighs, placing a hand on his head. "I don't know though, they could give her so many pain meds that she's high off her ass."

"That'd probably be better for her." I mutter. That surgery isn't going to be the easiest to recover from, not at first. She'll definitely be in a shit load of pain, and I hate that so much.

I should've been more careful. I should've made sure that she didn't get hurt, but I didn't. Stevie and I fucked that spot up, and Jolene was the one that had to pay for it.

Oh my God, Joli, I'm so fucking sorry.

I lean over in my seat and drop my head before running a hand through my hair. I'm lost in my thoughts until Kev's voice makes me straighten up immediately.

"'Morning, Eric."

Sure enough, the moment I raise my head, my eyes land on a grinning Eric Bischoff walking towards us. Eric stops once he's standing between Kev and myself, and after taking a quick look to make sure that we're the only other two people in the waiting room, he starts talking.

"'Morning, guys. Has Jolene gone back for surgery yet?"

"By now, yeah, I'm sure she has. Kid was with her up until they put her under, and he left, what, twenty minutes ago?" I look towards Kev for confirmation on that, and he nods.

"All right. I'm sure that the two of you will be able to pass some messages onto our lovely Miss Jolene, so I'll give it to you straight." Eric gives a small laugh as he shoves his hands into his pants pockets before giving us some serious look. "Jolene is not to return to WCW until her injury is completely taken care of. Or at least, until it is no longer visible. She isn't fired, not by any means. I just don't want to even look at her if she's in any kind of cast or brace, or whatever. Once she can walk without any support, we'll figure out what the best plan for her return is."

"What? Why the fuck can't she come back before that? She can still get around on crutches. I'm not saying she has to hobble to the ring, but shit, she can cut a damn backstage promo from a chair. Or even just appear in little segments." Kev's pissed and he's not trying to hide that at all. He's tired and he's grouchy and he's not holding anything back; fuck, it's not like I'm going to try and stop him.

"Jolene's main asset is her appearance, and although she can provide excellent work on the mic, we can't jeopardize her image by having her return when she doesn't look her best." Eric's reply makes both Kev and I grit our teeth. "If she is not at her peak beauty, she's not someone that we can utilize. She'll be welcomed back with open arms once she's better, but we are not putting her on television until it looks like she was never injured."

"We could work it into a damn angle! I mean, come on, we could start taking everyone out because we're super pissed that Joli got hurt. We don't have to just have her disappear for a while. People are going to realize she's injured." I protest, feeling my fuckin' heart sink. I know it's useless to even try and argue with Eric on this, but this is all my fault.

"Just pass the message on for me, please? I have other things to tend to. Thanks!" Eric gives a smile and wave before spinning on his heel and exiting the waiting room.

As soon as he's gone, Kev lets out a loud groan and smacks one of his knees. He shifts slightly so that he can face me better.

"She's going to be out for a fuckin' eternity. This is such bullshit." Kev scoffs. "Can you believe that? I know she probably didn't expect to come back before she could completely walk on her own anyway, but... Whatever."

I drop my gaze to the floor as I try to come up with some sort of reply. It's ridiculous, but what can we do, aside from just wait it out? I mean, fuck, when do we even tell her this?

"I'm going to grab a water from one of the machines out front. You want one?" Kev asks as he stands up, obviously just needing some time to get up and moving. I shake my head. "All right. I'll be back in a few minutes then. If anything comes up, I'll be down the hall."

"All right." I mutter, watching Kev walk off. I get up and stretch once he's gone, since my body is screaming at me to do anything at all.

I walk around the room a couple of times before sitting back down, this time in one of the chairs in a corner of the room. I hate this silence and I hate being in a hospital like this. I wish I could get an update on Joli, but I know I won't hear anything until it's over or, God forbid, a complication occurs. I'm not sweating her surgery, though, because I can't. If I even slightly entertain that thought, it'll destroy my mind at this moment.

A few minutes later, Kev returns with three bottles of water, one of which is halfway empty. He hands me one of the full ones before taking a seat beside of me.

"I know you said you didn't want one, but you need to drink something. Neither one of us have really had much to eat or drink since last night." I can't help but smile up at Kev; he's honestly just so fucking considerate. I'm lucky to be able to call this guy my friend.

"Thanks, Kev." I chuckle softly before twisting the top off of my bottle. The moment the cool water slides down my throat, I realize just how damn thirsty I am. I chug the thing quickly after, and once I sit the empty bottle on the table beside of me, Kev lets out a laugh.

"You're welcome." Kev grins as he takes another drink from his first bottle. I lean back in my seat and starting watching the clock.

Time ticks away and before I know it, a nurse is walking over towards Kev and I with a smile on her face.

"Miss Milford is in recovery; her surgery was a completely success. We would like to keep her for a couple of hours more, but if she remains in the same great condition that she is in right now, you'll be able to take her home." I smile, looking over at Kev. It looks like a huge fuckin' wave of relief has just washed over him.

"When can we see her?" Kev questions.

"Once she's awake, I'll come and get you." The nurse bows to us before excusing herself. Kev and I relax for the first time since Joli got injured as we wait for her to wake up.

It doesn't take more than about half an hour for Joli to wake up, and once she does, we just sit around and chat until they clear her to leave. She's nice and awake right when Kev and I first go back to see her, but by the time she's in the car, she's out. Kev looks absolutely exhausted, and even though I feel that way, too, I offer to take the first shift of driving. We're about six hours away from Joli's place, so we'll switch every three hours.

As I drive, I find my thoughts wandering all over the place. I have the radio on and I'm accompanied by the oh-so-entertaining sound of Kev snoring, but my mind speaks louder than any of it.

Things are going to be different for a while, but hopefully, the time will pass quickly. I spare a quick glance at the beautiful, sleeping woman in the backseat and feel my heart break just a bit. Joli, I know you don't blame me for this, but I'm just so sorry. I'll find some sort of way to make this up to you, I promise you that. I should've been more careful. I should've paid more attention.

I let out a small sigh as my grip on the steering wheel tightens. I can't tell if I'm more physically or mentally exhausted. At least Kev and Joli are getting some nice rest.

When the time comes for Kev and I to switch seats, I pull over at a rest station and shake him with one hand. It takes a moment for him to open his eyes, but even though he's super groggy, I can tell he's a lot more well rested than he had been.

"My turn?" Kev asks with a groan as he sits up, blinking his eyes to help wake himself up. I nod and we both unbuckle, getting out of the car and swapping positions. As I make myself comfortable, Kev adjusts the seat and all of that to his liking.

"Traffic hasn't been too bad up to this point, so it shouldn't take too long for us to get to Norfolk. Probably two and a half hours at most. Just let me know if you need me to drive again, okay?" I tell Kev as I grab what appears to be one of Kid's jackets from the floor in the backseat. It'll be a good enough pillow.

"Fuck, I didn't see that back there." Kev mutters as I cram Kid's jacket behind my head. "I'll handle it, though. Get you some rest, God knows we all need it."

I nod before fixing my body in the simplest way I possibly can. This car isn't exactly the most comfortable thing, but it sure as hell is better than those damn waiting room chairs. I take one last quick look at Joli in the rear view before closing my eyes.

I'm sorry, Joli. I really fuckin' am.

Chapter 16: boredom

Chapter 16: "Boredom"
Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

"So, is there anything else I can get for you right now? More water? Food?"

I look over at Paula as she stands in the door frame of my bedroom, smiling brightly at me. She's been a great help, really, but her upbeat personality can be a bit much sometimes.

"No, thank you. I'm good."

"Just let me know if you need me!"

Paula waves before she scurries off to clean or something like that. At least, I think she's cleaning. I've not really left my bedroom in the past two weeks, aside from hobbling to the bathroom, so she technically could've been stealing my shit and I wouldn't even know it.

This is miserable, being stuck on my ass all day. I miss traveling. I miss WCW. I miss Kev. I miss Scott. I miss Kid, Dally, Kim...

I don't know when I'll be able to return, but I'm sure it won't be for another three months or so. Shitwad Bischoff doesn't even want to begin talking to me until my ankle is completely healed and I'm able to walk without any sort of assistance, whether it be from another person or a brace.

I could at least film vignettes sitting down, but it's no use arguing with him about it. Scott tried. Kev tried. I tried. He's not budging at all on it.

With a sigh, I grab my remote off of my nightstand and turn on my television. It turns immediately to the sitcom I'd been watching before Paula arrived. Before my injury, I couldn't have named you ten of the current most popular television shows, but now, I feel like I know all of them.

How lame am I?

It's a Wednesday, so there should be a few new episodes of things I like on later tonight. Monday and Wednesday are probably my preferred days for television, if I'm being honesty. My favorite part of the broadcast week is obviously Nitro, but at the same time, it kills me a little.

I love getting to see all my friends out there doing what they love, but I wish I could be there alongside them. I can't stand being sidelined like this, but there's nothing I can do about it right now. At least Scott and Kev call me from the arenas, so it's like I'm sort of there.

"Paula? Can you get me something to drink?" I look over my shoulder, towards the door of my room. "Just a water will be fine!"

Wait, what was that? I thought I heard a knock, but I've got to be hearing things. There's no one who would have the time to come see me right now.

"Okay, Jolene! Just a moment!" I can barely hear her voice, so she's got to be in the living room or somewhere around there. She's probably just been watching television, like I have been.

When I hear footsteps approaching my room, I turn around and reach out my hand for a bottle of water. However, I'm not greeted by Paula, as I had expected.

"Holy fuckin' shit, that cast looks brutal." I don't think I've ever been so excited to see Sean Waltman in my entire life. He sends me a grin and hands me a bottle of water, but as I grab it, I pull him closer to me. Kid and I both laugh as we hug one another tightly.

"Kid! Dammit, I'm so happy to see you! I've missed you!" I cheer as he pulls back, smiling.

"I've missed you too, Joli." Kid turns around as Paula comes into the room, seeming to be a bit star-struck.

"Is there anything I can get for either of you? Would you like me to put your jacket up, Syxx?" She asks Kid with wide-eyes. He laughs and takes his jacket off before handing it to her.

"Thanks, uh..."

"Paula. Jolene and I went to high school together." Kid nods and Paula smiles. "I've been taking care of Jolene while she's been hurt. I come and sit with her during the day and help her clean and all of that. My husband and I actually just moved to one of the nearby towns. Our daughter just started kindergarten, and we wanted to find her the perfect school."

I want to laugh at Paula for spilling her life story to Kid, who is obviously a tad bit confused, but I don't. Instead, I compliment her, because she has been a huge help.

"Yeah, Paula's great. I've really appreciated all she's been able to do for me."

"Really? Thanks for helping her out, then." Kid grins at Paula and it looks like she's going to pass out. "Joli, I know it's an odd time to ask, but can I stay with you for a couple of days? I can help you out and Paula can have some time off."

"Yeah, Kid. Of course." Like hell I'm going to turn him down! I've not been able to see any of my friends since the night Scott and Kev brought me back here. "I'll still pay you for all of your work this week, Paula. Thank you."

"It's no problem, Jolene. Just give me a call when you need me, okay?" I nod and Paula turns to Kid. "It was wonderful getting to meet you, Syxx! Enjoy your stay!"

"Thanks." Kid chuckles as we watch Paula scurry off. He walks over to the other side of my bed and takes a seat, but we both remain quiet for a few moments until we're sure Paula's gone. "She seems nice."

"She is. I don't know how I would make it without her. We never really interacted that much in high school, but that's okay. We talked a bit at the reunion a few months back, but that was honestly one of the longest conversations we'd ever had. She really wanted me and Scott to be an item, though." I mutter, opening up the bottle of water that Kid had brought.

"Does she always mark out like that?" Kid asks with obvious amusement.

"Always. I showed her one of my photo albums from my first year in the business and she screeched." I reply before taking a long drink. Kid just laughs a little more, his eyes scanning my room.

"What're you watching?" He asks curiously as I turn my gaze back to my television. I let out a gasp as I realize that the sitcom I had been watching had gone off, replaced by Days of Our Lives.

"Oh, shit! I didn't realize it was time for Days!" I sound pathetic, don't I? The look I receive from Kid confirms that I do.

"So is this what you do all day, Joli?" He doesn't necessarily mean it in a harsh way, but Kid's question makes me frown.

"It's all I can do, Kid. I'd love to get off my ass and be productive, but I'm kind of just stuck in front of the television. I have become utterly invested in all sorts of shitty shows." I sigh as I sit my water bottle back on my nightstand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make fun of you." Kid apologizes with a sheepish grin. "I just didn't ever peg you as the kind of gal to get excited over a soap opera."

"Neither did I. Boredom does strange things to a person." We both laugh.

After Kid and I sit around for a while, I have him help me out onto my back porch. The weather has been warming up recently, as one would expect it to, with Spring approaching. As Kid cracks open a beer, I light up a cigarette.

"This is nice, you know? Sitting outside with you and having a smoke. As I'm sure you've noticed, I haven't been able to get out, so I've been smoking in the house. It's really nice to be able to enjoy the fresh air with some good company." I send Kid a grin as he takes a drink.

"I'm glad I could help. Weird as it may sound, I've missed the smell of your smoke. I mean, it's probably because the brand you smoke is so bad that no one else bothers with it and it's very distinct, but whatever. Things aren't the same without you, Joli." Kid smiles as he leans back in his seat.

"I'd be there with you all if I could be. As you can see, I can barely do a damn thing on my own right now, though. The furthest I can get without any help is the bathroom, and even that is a chore." I sigh as I take a long drag. As Kid speaks, I flick the cherry into my ash tray.

"Whenever you need anything, just let me know. I'll be your little bitch boy for a few days." My little bitch boy? Whatever you say, Kid. "How is your ankle? Does it hurt?"

"Most of the time, no, but when the pain hits, goddamn, it hits hard. As long as I'm careful and don't try to move more than I have to, I'm usually good." I send Kid a grin, something that seems to make him happy.

"Good! And I like seeing that look on your face, too. Or hell, just seeing your face at all is pretty nice. I've missed you!" Kid laughs and so do I. "So much stupid shit has happened on the road and you haven't been there."

"You'll have to fill me in on the details. Scott and Kev usually leave out the bits that make them look bad, so I expect you to hold nothing back, okay?" I mean, Scott and Kev have kept me up to date on the happenings of their travels as well as they can, but I know that they've had to have excluded some parts. If I can't experience all of their crazy shenanigans, I should at least be able to hear about them!

"I have no reason to hold anything back. I'm sure they've already told you all about the dumb things I've done since you've been out, so why shouldn't I spill their stories?" Kid smirks before taking another drink. He didn't plan on having any alcohol while he was here, but I know one beer won't fuck him up. If he's got to help take care of my injured ass, he'll be responsible.

"Harsh! I like it." I giggle before placing my cigarette back into my mouth.

"Where should we begin? We've got a good, what, two weeks of stories to cover? There's plenty of dumb shit I can share with you."

"Start at the beginning, from the first Nitro I missed."

"All right, so first off, I think that was the week that Scott got us this super fuckin' small rental. Like, it was tiny."

I can't stop myself from smiling as I smoke and listen to Kid talk. He doesn't do the best job at describing some things, but I understand his way of thinking so well at this point that I can easily piece things together. I'm beyond grateful for Kid, and I hope he understands how much hearing all of this means to me.

I wish more than anything that I could've been there with them, and that when Kid leaves, we could head out together. Maybe we could meet up with Scott and Kev, and just have some kick ass fun?

But, I know that's not the case. It hurts, not being able to travel with them and partake in all of their crazy adventures. Although I enjoy the stories Kid tells me, I can't help but wish it were the two of us reminiscing over recent events we both experienced.

We sit out on the porch until the sun sets. After I awkwardly make my way to the bathroom (with quite a lot of help from Kid), we return to my bedroom, where we talk until I grow tired.

I miss Scott and Kev oh-so-much, but I'm glad that I get to spend some time with Kid. He really has managed to lift my spirits and brighten up my week, whether he realizes it or not. People give him shit, but Kid is one of the greatest guys I've ever known.

Chapter 17: start rambling

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

"... So really, everything over here is more of a mess than usual. I cannot believe the kind of shit Bret is pulling, but we'll make it work. He's just so damn dramatic, feel me?"

I lean back against my headboard as I listen to Shawn rant on and on about the current WWF landscape. I've been on the phone with him and Paul for, what, half an hour? It seems like they've really been struggling over there, with ratings that are low and talent that doesn't want to cooperate.

"But anyway, at least RAW on Monday has some promise. We've got to haul our asses all the way to Norfolk, Virginia. It's a bit away from where we are now, but that's how it goes." Shawn sighs, but I grin.

"Norfolk, huh? That's where Joli's at." Paul and Shawn both gasp.

"Shit, do you think she'd let us stay with her?" Paul asks excitedly.

"Yeah," Shawn pipes in, "I'd much rather not have to deal with a hotel."

"Honestly, she'd probably welcome the company. Just take her some snacks and she'll accept you with open arms." I chuckle as Shawn and Paul cheer.

"How's she been lately, anyway? Is her ankle doing any better?" Paul's question makes me frown.

"She's all right, as far as I know. She's just damn lonely, sitting around her house all the time. I don't think she's able to get up and move all that much yet." Joli's got to be fuckin' miserable.

"Yikes! We'll go brighten her day up, man." Shawn chuckles. "Besides, we've not really had much of a chance to get to know little Jolene. It'd probably be a good idea to actually get to know the lady that our boys love, eh, Paul?"

"Oh, come on, Shawn, you know that Kev hasn't come to terms with his feelings. Neither he nor Scott have." Paul's comments make me roll my eyes.

"Shut up. Be good to her, all right? I'll come rough you two up if you mess with her too much." They both laugh. "I'm serious."

"We know, Kev. Come on! Trust us a little more." Shawn replies in a dramatic fashion.

"I do trust you guys." I mutter with a small laugh of my own. "Let me know how she's doing though, all right? Joli tells me that she's fine, but I don't know, I just worry that she's bullshitting me sometimes. If she needs anything, help her out."

"We've got it, man. Don't worry. We'll make sure your girl is fine." Paul chuckles. "I think we've got to get off here for now, though. What's Jolene's address?"

I tell the guys where Joli lives and then we say our goodbyes and get off of the phone. I'm glad that they'll be able to stop by and spend some time with her, even if it won't be for too long. Joli needs to see people, aside from the Paula chick that has been helping her out, anyway. I hate that I've only been able to swing by for a couple of days since she got injured nearly a month ago, but I've tried. I've tried so damn hard.

I look over at my half-packed luggage bag in the corner of the room and sigh. Tomorrow, I go back out on the road for another week without Joli. I've missed her so much lately, but really, what can I do about it? We've been on the other side of the damn country all week, and now, I'm finally home in Detroit, but that's still too far away from her. Fuck.

Even though I know I need to get my shit together for the next few days, I don't want to bother with any of that right now. I grab my phone once more and dial up Joli's familiar number. I can't help myself from fuckin' grinning when she picks up, greeting me with a simple, "Hello?"

"Hey, babe. How're you doing today?"

"Better. My ankle was giving me some problems last night when I went to bed, but I'm feeling fine today. Even last night wasn't too bad, though; it was more aggravating than anything. It was like, it didn't really hurt, but I couldn't get comfortable. You know, if that makes any sense what-so-ever." Joli lets out this cute little laugh as she finishes her sentence. God, I miss hearing that in person.

"No, I totally understand. God knows I've had my fair share of annoying injuries over the years." I chuckle. "Shit gets bad."

"It does! But, on the bright side, I should be able to move to crutches soon. Are crutches as bad as I expect them to bed? They look like they're damn cumbersome, and I sort of feel like I'll end falling on them."

"Ah, they're not that bad. They're definitely annoying, I can't deny that, but I don't think you'll fall on them. Once you get the hang of them, you'll be okay." I mean, it can be hard to settle in on them at times, but I have faith in my little babe.

"All right. I'll take your word on it." Joli then laughs. "How've you been today?"

"Good, more or less. Would you care if Shawn and Paul crashed with you Monday night? RAW is in the area and they'd like to kick it with you, if you don't mind." I thought about letting them surprise her, but if she's not interested, I probably need to call them in advance. "They'll be on their best behavior."

"I'm sure they will be." Joli replies, amused. "But yeah, sure, they can stay with me. I'd be happy to have them over. Not much goes on in this house these days. I've not really spent much time with Paul and Shawn, come to think of it. Most of what I know about them is from shit you, Scott, and Kid have told me."

"It'll be a nice chance for all of you to get to know one another. Just don't fall for either of them, okay? Shawn can be quite the charmer." I joke, making Joli giggle once more.

"So I've heard. I like Shawn, I do, but you haven't got anything to worry about."

"Good." I smile for just a moment, but once Joli starts talking again, I frown.

"It probably sounds extremely pathetic on my part, but I'm genuinely excited for Shawn and Paul to come over. I feel so... so fuckin' alone here. I mean, yeah, Paula is here a lot, but I don't really know her. I don't socialize with her that much. The most we ever talk is when she's asking me about people in the business." Joli sighs. "I get so ridiculously excited whenever anyone calls me because it's just something I can do, aside from sit on my ass all day and watch television, which is boring."

"What, has Days of Our Lives lost your interest?" I have to make a joke about it, right? Joli lets out a small, slightly-amused groan.

"Kid told you about that?"

"Of course he did." I chuckle. "It's Kid."

"True." Joli mutters before sighing. "Really, though, I'm miserable over here, Kev. I'm sorry I keep rambling, I know you probably don't want to hear me whine about it. I just miss being out on the road. I miss human interaction."

"You don't have to apologize for anything. Get it all out of your system, babe. I know it's got to be rough on you, and if there's anything I can do for you at all, just say the word." I hate hearing how bad things are for her, but I'm glad she's actually opening up to me about it.

"Honestly, just talking to you helps so much. There are several people that call me through the week, but you and Kim are the two that talk to me for the longest amount of time. Scott talks to me for a while, too, but you know how he is. He's not too big of a fan of long phone calls." She's right. I think a lot of it has to do with Scott's conscious, though. He doesn't like talking to Joli for long periods of time unless he's certain that she's completely okay, because otherwise, he feels bad.

"Hopefully it won't be too long before one of us is able to come by and see you. Things have just been so painfully busy around here lately that it has been hard to get away. I mean, shit, I got home last night, but I'm busting out in the morning to go meet with the guys. Things should be settling down soon, and as soon as they do, you best believe our asses are heading to Virginia."

If I had the time, I'd be there right now, helping Joli, keeping her entertained.

"I appreciate that so much, Kev. I honestly do. I know you all haven't really had any free time as of late... I just really miss you sometimes, you know?" She pauses for a second. "You, Scott, Kid, Dally, Kim."

"Trust me, Joli, we all miss you, too." I miss you, Jolene. I miss you so fuckin' much. "But, each day brings you closer and closer to your return. I can't wait to walk out to the ring alongside you again."

"I can't wait for it, either. I know it'll be absolutely amazing, like the first time I valeted you and Scott in the nWo." This is the most excited I've heard Jolene in quite a while. It mystifies me. "I think that and when I joined the nWo are two of my favorite moments of my career. Don't get me wrong, my first time with Dallas and Scott back in the day was amazing, but the crowd didn't know me then. At that point, everyone thought I was just the Doll of the night, but by the time you and Scott came back, people knew me. They liked me. They were screaming because I was a new member of the crazy New World Order."

I still remember those nights like they were yesterday. When Joli joined up with us, she had been working as an interviewer for WCW, since that was her thing after Dallas stopped using Diamond Dolls that weren't Kimberly. The way the crowd reacted when Joli stopped mid-question and turned directly towards the camera to speak, breaking the news to the world that she had joined us, is something I'll never forget. Joli's character had been teasing a heel turn for months, but that was the icing on the cake.

Scott had lifted her up into his arms and spun her around a couple of times before I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. Trash littered the ring, but none of us cared. It was perfect.

God, I miss Jolene. I'll come see you soon, babe, I swear.

"I can't wait until you're with us again either, Joli. Everything will be back to the way it should be. No matter which of us you go with that night, it'll be great. We'll make your return special."

"Thank you, Kev." Joli sounds so content, and I feel like this little conversation has helped to brighten her mood incredibly. That's good. I'm honestly so glad that I could make her happy. She's probably smiling over there, and fuck, I wish I could see that.

"No problem." I chuckle as I make myself comfortable on my bed. I adjust all of my pillows and shit so that I'm still sort of sitting up, but I'm pretty much laying down. "All right, now, I want you to talk about whatever the fuck you want, even your lame ass T.V. shows. You want to talk and socialize, so blabber away. I might not have a single clue what you're talking about, but I'll fake it."

"Kev, you've not go to sit here and listen to me if you don't want to." Joli gently scolds me. "I know you've probably got shit you need to do, like pack and get ready for the week. I'll be okay."

"Nope. You want to talk, and so do I. So, start rambling, Joli, because I'm not hanging up this phone until one of us is tired."

"What if I were to hang up, then?" Joli's teasing reply makes me grin.

"I'll keep calling you back until you gave no choice but to answer me. I'll keep it up all night, if that is what it takes." She lets out this small little chuckle that just melts my heart.

"All right, you win. But, if you fall asleep on me because you're too bored, I'll never let you live that down."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take."

I don't know when I'll get to see Joli again, so talking to her all night is the next best thing. I just hope she knows I honestly plan on staying on the phone until she's ready for bed.

Chapter 18: surprise

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"You sure you want this to be a surprise? She's not too fond of those, you know." Kev chuckles as he pulls over in this little parking lot outside of some shopping center in Norfolk. "She's on crutches now, so she could whack us with them."

"I know what I'm doing. She'll be ecstatic." I grin while Kev shrugs and throws his hands up, laughing still.

"You're right, you're right."

I'm so excited, I can barely fuckin' stand it. We get to see Joli today! I just hope this little plan of ours works.

Kev and I both get out of the car and make our way over to this little payphone on the corner of the street. Thankfully, it isn't one of those annoying ones that keeps you confined in a little area; there's no way the two of us would've fit. Kev slides the change into the machine and rings Joli up before placing the phone between our heads. We lean in close to one another, so that we can both listen and talk.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Joli! How's it going, babe?" Kev sends me a little smirk as he talks.

"Oh, hey! Things are good, I guess. I just finished lunch." She laughs. "Oh! Something exciting did happen earlier, though."

"Really? What was it?" I ask.

"A little bird flew into my window, but it didn't die. Scared the shit out of me when it happened, but I don't know. It flew away as though nothing had happened, once it came to." Joli then sighs dramatically. "What are you guys up to today?"

"Ah, you know, we're just out and about. We had a little bit of free time, so we stopped by a little place and figured we call you up for a minute." I have to stop myself from chuckling. God, I'm just so fucking happy!

"You guys can just call me back whenever you get to your hotel later. I don't want you to be stuck at a payphone when you could be having some fun." Joli's so sweet. Kev raises an eyebrow towards me with such an amused look on his face.

"What's more fun than talking to you?" I honestly can't think of anything.

"A lot of things, I'm sure." Joli then laughs. "But, you guys know I love talking to you."

"Fuck, actually, we may have to call you back later, babe. It looks like we're getting a line here." Kev's technically lying, since there isn't anyone waiting on the phone, but that's fine. We've convinced her that we're busy and there's no way that she would think that we're anywhere near her. After all, we left the hotel early this morning, and Nitro last night wasn't exactly close by.

"Oh, all right. Have fun for me!" Oh God, why'd you have to sound so sad there, babe?

"We will, Joli. We'll call you later!" I can't stop myself from grinning like a damn fool, but neither can Kev.

"Later, guys!"

Kev hangs the phone up and as we turn to walk back to the car, we both laugh. I know Kev has got to be as excited to see Joli as I am. Neither one of us have had all that much time to come see her, and I hate that. He's called her a lot more than I have, and that's all on me. I feel fuckin' horrible about it, but I couldn't stand hearing her in pain.

It doesn't take us more than about fifteen minutes to get to Joli's place. Once we're parked, we head up to the door and I knock on it while Kev stands behind me. Joli yells, "Just a moment!" as she hobbles to the door, and I send Kev a smirk. He smiles and pats my shoulder.

When the door opens and Joli's eyes land on me, the shock that comes onto her face is obvious. She looks between Kev and I for a moment before just fuckin' grinning and scooting to the side so that we can get through.

"I didn't- Fuck, you guys!" Joli's so happy.

"Surprise!" I laugh as Kev and I head into the house. Joli makes her way over to one of her recliners while Kev shuts the door behind us.

"Look at me, I'm a mess. I'm just wearing some shitty little pajamas." Joli mutters as she looks down at her clothes; she acts upset, but she sounds so damn happy.

Besides, her bear-themed pajamas are cute. They'd look absolutely ridiculous on anyone else, but she makes them work.

"You look great, don't start that." Kev chuckles as we both take a seat on the couch. "It was Scott's idea to surprise you."

"The look on your face when we got here made it totally worth it." I smile at Joli, something that she returns. For just a moment, Joli keeps looking between me and Kev.

"I've missed you two, you know that? It's been too long since the three of us got together. Hell, the last time we all three were together... Fuck, it was the day after you guys dropped me off, wasn't it? But hey, I can move now." Joli pats her crutches.

"It's a start, right?" She grins back at me.

"Definitely. I thought you guys had all kinds of events this week, though."

"We're free until Friday, so you're stuck with us until then. We'll have to leave early on Friday, but we'll worry about that when we get there." Kev replies smugly. "These next few days are all about us."

"If you need it, we'll get it. If you want it, it's yours. The group is back together for a few days and we'll make the damn most of it." I add.

Joli is just ecstatic, but she's trying to act like she's not as damn excited as she is. It's so nice to see her so happy, to see her not in pain.

"Thanks, you two." Joli motions towards her porch. "If you guys are interested, we can head outside. I was about to go out there myself when you showed up. It's been so damn nice out lately that I've gone out every chance I get."

"Are you sure there won't be any dead birds out there?" I joke as Kev and I stand up. Joli laughs as she grabs her crutches and carefully gets on her feet (or rather, one of her feet).

"I mean, I can't make any promises." She nods towards her kitchen before she starts to hobble towards the back door. "Can one of you grab my cigarettes and my lighter for me?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll get it." Kev offers as I rush over to the door and open it for Joli. She gives me a smile as she heads out. "Either of you want a drink?" Joli nods to me, since she and Kev can't see each other.

"Yeah, grab us both something." I tell Kev before heading out with Joli. I pull a seat out for her and help her get as comfortable as possible, then I sit her crutches against the side of the house. By the time I go to sit down, Kev is outside, sitting everything down on the table and distributing it.

"Thanks, Kev." Joli gives him a smile before getting a cigarette out of her carton. She just sits it on the edge of her ash tray, though, and starts fiddling with her lighter.

"No problem." Kev twists the lid off of his water bottle. "So Joli, I've been meaning to ask, how did things go with Paul and Shawn? They said that they were well-behaved, but for whatever reason, I have a hard time believing that."

"They were a lot more tame than I expected they would be. I was impressed." Joli shrugs, looking amused. "I mean, they're a handful, but they're fun. They brought me a damn huge bag of gummy bears and some popcorn, so I really can't complain about them."

"Did they give you too much hell?" I ask with a raised brow and an amused smirk.

"Nah, not too much." Joli chuckles softly. "They reminded me how much I miss the road. Wow." She then pauses for a moment. "But, they also made me realize that I'm glad I don't work for the WWF. Damn."

"Things can be hectic over there." I chuckle.

"Why hasn't Shawn kicked Bret's ass yet?" That's a good question, Joli.

"Oh, he will before too much longer. Just wait." Kev chuckles while Joli shrugs.

"I'd like to see it." Wouldn't we all? Joli taps the bottom of her lighter against the table a couple of times before saying, "You know, Paul and Shawn made me laugh a lot, but they also reminded me of how much I missed you two fuckers."

"We missed you too." I give her a smile. Goddamn, I've missed you, Jolene.

"We've been trying to talk to Eric lately, to see if there are any plans set yet for when you come back. Of course, nothing can be completely decided until we know the exact day you'll be able to return, but it's always good to have these things figured out in advance." Kev says before taking a drink of his water.

"I appreciate you two talking to him for me, because honestly, I don't really feel like I've made any progress when I have. He just keeps stalling with me, but at the same time, it's obvious he doesn't want to get rid of me." Joli then gives a small sigh. "I don't know, Eric's fuckin' weird."

"Can't argue with that." I chuckle. "I think the crowd will be really excited to see you back, though. I mean, shit, you've seen the way they've been reacting anytime your name is brought up. They hate you, but they love you."

"Trust me, there's nothing I'd love more than to be back out there." It's not often that Joli really shows how much she loves the business, but taking one look at her right now proves it completely. Joli adores what she does, and I'm glad we get to work together. "As long as they're not snoring when I come out, I'll be happy."

"I'm sure that's something you don't have to worry about." Kev grins.

We fall into some sort of a silence for a little bit, but it's nothing bad. Joli lights up a cigarette and as she smokes it, she occasionally shifts her gaze from me to Kev to her backyard. I'm beyond fuckin' grateful for a little moment like this, because it's the most natural thing in the world to me. As much as I've missed the three of us just shootin' shit, I've also missed us just sitting around together.

I'm so glad that we finally got the time to come spend a few days with Joli. I don't know if any of us have been this damn happy in a long time. I know I certainly haven't.

"So, what shit do you guys want to get into while you're here? I mean we probably shouldn't leave my house, but I can at least move from room to room." Joli breaks the silence as she puts her cigarette out in the ash tray.

"What? Come on, I was under the impression that we could all go to a fuckin' club and dance all night." Kev jokes, making Joli playfully roll her eyes. She's so damn cute.

"I'm being serious, Kev. Come on."

"Who said I wasn't serious?" Joli swiftly turns to face me.

"Anyway, Scott, what would you like to do?"

"Damn! Don't just no-sell me!" Kev laughs.

"I mean, I was personally thinking we could just find old movies and shit, or grab some of the ridiculous little board games I have around the house and play those." Joli's not even reacting to Kev and it's fuckin' hilarious.

"Yeah, sure. Hell, I can always run out and grab us something at Walmart or some shit like that." I reply, trying to not just fuckin' cackle.

"I'm going to start saying all kinds of dumb shit if you don't pay attention to me, Joli." Kev's amused as all hell.

"That's sweet of you. What would you like for dinner? I just have a bunch of easy-to-make meals in there, but I'm sure we can find something." Joli sends me a smug little smirk as she talks.

"Jolene Milford is a rude little woman who ignores one of her best friends when he comes to see her!" Kev exclaims as he stands up, walking over to the railing and placing his hands on it.

"I'll cook something, depending on what you've got in the house." I'm trying so hard to not look at Kev, because I know I won't be able to stop myself from laughing if I see him.

"Really? You don't mind?"

"Of course not, babe. I'll see what I can cook up."

"I guess I have a lot of options for dinner now, since everyone wants to ignore me." Kev gives a dramatic sigh. "I could go anywhere, with anyone I want. I could just walk down the street and find two more lame-o's to hang out with."

"I should have a few things, come to think of it. I doubt I have enough to make a big dinner, but it's better than nothing."

"I mean, I can think of something to eat." I wink at Joli and she giggles.

We keep joking around for a few more minutes until Kev finally gives Joli a fake little apology and both she and I burst into laughter.

"I wondered how long you were going to keep that up. You almost got me to break whenever you started to walk around the damn house like a chicken." Joli grins as she lights up another cigarette. "You're such a damn goof."

"What else was I supposed to do to get your attention?" Kev chuckles as he sits back down.

"I swear, the two of you are ridiculous. You lasted longer than I thought you would too, Kev." I comment as I finish off my bottle of water.

"Endurance isn't always a bad thing." Kev wiggles his eyebrows, while Joli nearly chokes on her smoke from laughing so much.

There's nothing better than spending some damn good time with your favorite people. These next few days are just what I need.

It's so great to be back with you, Joli. Friday is going to be here way too soon.

Chapter 19: shit like this

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I awake the moment I hear footsteps approaching my room, but I don't move until I hear Kev's voice by my head and feel one of his large hands gently shake me.

"Joli, babe? We've got to head on out."

"Do you have to? Tell Bischoff to fuck off and just stay here with me." I grumble as I carefully sit up, my eyes adjusting to my dimly-lit room. The sun is just now starting to rise, and it's barely peeking through my curtains, but the light in the hallway helps make it easier to see Scott and Kev.

"As much as we'd love to, you know we can't do that." Scott gives a small little smile.

"Yeah, yeah. Come here, guys." I yawn and open up my arms. Scott and Kev both lean in, wrapping their arms around me in a warm embrace. Fuckin' hell, I miss them already. "Call me when you get to the hotel tonight."

"We will." Scott assures as he and Kev stand back. "We've got a lot of shit to do this weekend, but we'll be sure to check in every chance we get."

"Good. Be safe on the road. You'll be driving, what, six hours today?"

"Something like that. Probably closer to seven, actually." Kev shrugs before leaning forward and ruffling my hair. "Don't push yourself too much, all right?"

"I'll try not to." I smile, even though my heart aches. "I'll see you guys later."

"Later, babe." Come on, Kev. Stay.

"See ya, Joli." Scott, no, don't walk away...

I sigh as I watch Scott and Kev exit my room and turn the light in the hall off. I know they don't want to go, but they have to. As much as I would love for them to just stay here with me throughout the remainder of my recovery, I know that's completely impossible. I wouldn't want them to put work as a secondary priority, anyway; that wouldn't be fair.

I'd love to go back to sleep right now, because I am still very tired, but I don't know if I can fall asleep right now. I know Scott and Kev didn't want to keep me up when they left, and that they just wanted to say good-bye, but I'm up now, and my mind is racing.

These past few days with Scott and Kev have been the best ones I've had since I was injured. I've felt so great, both physically and mentally. There's just something about the two of them that makes me so very happy.

Then again, shouldn't that be the case with friendships that have spanned over several years?

I truly do not believe I would be in such a good place in my life, had I not met either Scott or Kevin and nearly lost them for a few years. My relationships with them have been able to get me through everything, and they've brought many changes in me that have been for the better.

They've really helped me grow as a person and that's something I'll always be grateful for.


I remember how strange I was, back when I first signed with WCW. I have never been shy, but for the first couple of weeks, I clung to Dallas and Kimberly. Being in the wrestling world was something I had always wanted, but actually being there was a complete change from the simple life I had known before. Even though Scott and I met my first day backstage, we didn't become good friends until I'd been there nearly a month.

For so long, I wanted to befriend Scott. We just... We couldn't really open up to each other. Hell, he wanted it, too, but we always ended up fucking as opposed to talking.


God, the first night that Scott and I actually had a real conversation was so nice. It was something simple, just a little talk about the business, but I loved it. That was the real turning point in my relationship with Scott, where it turned from just a fuck with a co-worker to our friends-with-benefits deal.

Then, a couple of months after I joined the company, Kev came into the mix. He and Scott knew each other, but I'd never met Kev before. I feel as though if it weren't for Scott, Kev and I would have started our relationship off in a very similar manner to how mine and Scott's started; I mean, yes, Kev and I fucked a lot when we first met, but because of Scott, I always felt like I could talk to Kev.

The three of us grew so fucking close so quickly. We were only a trio for about three months, but that didn't matter. When we weren't working with Dallas and Levy in The Diamond Mine, Scott, Kev, and I were getting into all kinds of mischief. Most of our time was spent together for the first part of 1992.

God, I was crushed when Scott left. I tried to hide it, I did, but I know I didn't do a good job at it. The first few weeks without him were so odd, but it was nice, watching him fuck the WWF up as Razor Ramon. I can't help but smile when I think of the night Kev and I watched the first Razor Ramon vignette. We were so goddamn proud.

Speaking of Kev, he and I have spent a lot of time together, haven't we? It was just the two of us for nearly a year before Kev left for the WWF, too. Kev really helped me wise up to the business during that time, but he also helped me find myself in it. Not just that, but I wouldn't be anywhere near as outgoing as I actually am, were it not for Kev. He helped me become more comfortable with myself and my character.

Kev's departure from WCW, fuck, I don't want to think about that. I had grown so close to Kev, creating such a strong bond that we still have to this day. I'll never forget that little day in a diner, when he broke the news to me that he was going to work as Shawn's bodyguard. I was devastated, but at the same time, I had seen it coming. Kev had been a little distant for a couple of weeks beforehand, but it was still a hard pill to swallow. I remember at some point that night, I realized that big changes were coming. Things wouldn't be the same for me.

Both of my boys had left for greener pastures.

I act as though these past few weeks have horrible, because I haven't been able to see them that much, but honestly, I shouldn't complain. I talked to them frequently during their days with McMahon, but seeing them in person was so rare.

Then again, if Scott and Kev hadn't left, it's possible I wouldn't have grown as close to Dallas and Kim. I feel as though I had become so unintentionally dependent on both Scott and Kevin, but Dallas and Kim whipped me into shape.

Dallas gives me hell, but he's one of the kindest souls I've ever come across. I owe a lot to him and Kimberly both. Dally is the big brother I always wanted but never had, and Kim? She's just the fuckin' best. No matter what stupid shit I've done over the years, they've always had my back and been there when I needed them.

I wonder, if I had known them at an earlier part of my life, how different would things for be for me? Dallas has kept an eye on me since we met, making sure that I don't get into too much trouble. Would I have fallen into the hell that was my relationship with Thomas, if someone, anyone had just stepped in and opened my eyes?

Honestly, it's hard to say either way. Teenage Jolene was such a stubborn little bitch, I probably wouldn't have listened to anything bad about Thomas; then again, who knows? Fuck, there's so much shit I hate thinking about.


I wish that Thomas hadn't fucked me up, and that I felt like I could move on in my life. I say that he hasn't affected me, but the more I think about it, the worse I feel. I haven't been in any sort of romantic relationship since our divorce, instead choosing to fill that void with sex.

As nice as it would be to have a boyfriend, I don't know if I'm ready for that. I want someone. I want more than just an occasional fuck. I would love to have someone who would love me unconditionally and not use every opportunity to treat me like shit. A healthy, loving relationship would be great.

But I can't have one. I'd mess it up. Even if the ideal man were to sweep me off my feet, I'd find some way to ruin it.

I sigh as I sit up in my bed, my eyes momentarily flickering over to the nearest window. The sun is high in the sky now; how long have I been up? How far have Kev and Scott traveled? I'm sure it hasn't been too far. I doubt I've been up for that long.

I wonder, what would they say to me if they knew my lame ass was still awake, racking my brain with shit like this? They'd probably make some sort of joke and find a way to settle me down. Scott and Kev are such great guys. I wish they were here.

It's funny, how both Scott and Kev make my fuckin' heart race. I, uh, I care about them both a lot, don't I?

I've been trying to deny it for years, probably, but it has become clear to me in the past few weeks that I'm pathetically in love with both Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. There are not two people in the world that mean more to me than they do, but for the life of me, I don't who I love more.

I shouldn't even try to figure it out, because neither of them would want a real relationship with me. I'm happy with what we have. I don't have to date either of them to love them. We have a friendship that is unbreakable and I'm not going to jeopardize that.

Really, things are ideal right now. I have two irreplaceable friends that think the world of me and enjoy fucking me. This is the perfect little relationship, so why do I crave something more? Why is this so damn hard to figure out?

I guess it's because I'm scared. I try to act like I'm some tough little bitch who can take on the world without a fear in the world, but I'm not. I'm weak.


Scott and Kev... They're nothing like Thomas. I know that they would never hurt me, but I'd end up ruining things with them.

I'm afraid of a relationship. I'm afraid of losing them.

As I reach for my crutches, a small laugh comes from my lips. It's too damn early for me to be thinking like this. After I get out of bed, I go to my bathroom and then head out on my porch. Along the way, I grab my cigarettes and my lighter from the kitchen counter and slide them into the pockets on the shorts I'm wearing. It's still early, probably only around 8 in the morning.

It'll only be a few more weeks until I'm able to return to work, and honestly, I can't wait for that day to come. I spend too much time thinking when I'm here by myself, and I try to figure the little bits of life out that escape my realm of comprehension.

Regardless of how things happen to play out in the future, I know that nothing will change the bond between Kev, Scott and I. Like Scott has said, the blood between us all runs fuckin' deep.

Chapter 20: hypothetically speaking

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

Over the past couple of weeks, I've come to conclusions that I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to accept. I've been thinking a lot more than I usually do about a lot of things, but no matter what I'm doing or what I'm thinking about, my mind always goes back to one subject, one person.

Jolene Milford, the woman I'm convinced has stolen my heart.

Fuck, just thinking about it makes my head hurt. Have I really fallen in-love with the woman that I've considered one of my best friends for the past six years?

I think I have, and that complicates everything.

Do I say anything to her? Or do I just keep it to myself? I honestly don't know what I should do. If I tell her and she doesn't feel the same way about me, what am I supposed to do? I don't want to make things weird for her, and I sure as hell don't want to lose her. But if she does have feelings for me, and we do get together, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure she remains mine.

Why is this so complicated? I'm thirty-eight years old, shouldn't I have a better grip on this shit by now? I mean, I probably should, but I've never gotten further than an engagement with a woman, and that obviously ended poorly.

No matter what I do, I don't want to fuck things up with Jolene.

I really miss her right now. This little hotel room seems way too fuckin' empty, without her by my side. Scott being out on a food run doesn't really help.

Maybe I should call Joli for a few minutes, just until Scott gets back? She's going to the doctor in the morning to see when she'll be able to ditch her crutches, so I'm sure she'd love to talk about that.

I'm halfway though dialing Joli's number when Scott comes in, carrying a couple of bags. It's so weird, how little stuff the two of us go through as opposed to when it's us, Joli, and Kid. Two of us are gone, as one's injured and one's been written off for a couple of weeks. Sigh.

"Hey, big guy. Who're you callin'? Joli?" Scott grins as he sits one of the bags down on my bed and the other on his. "Or someone else?"

"I was going to call her, but now you're back. I was bored out of my fuckin' mind, just sitting around here." I chuckle, opening up my bag as Scott sits down and makes himself comfortable.

I'm not really too hungry right now, and the food won't go bad, so I just grab a bottle of water for now and move the bag to the foot of my bed. Scott, on the other hand, starts digging in as soon as his shoes are off.

"Kev?" I must've spaced out, because Scott's voice makes my head snap towards him. "You okay, man?"

"What? I'm fine, my mind has just been spinning lately. Don't really know why." Of course that's bullshit, but what am I supposed to say?

"If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm right here. God knows you've put up with my shit enough over the years, 'least I could do is listen you." Scott's a good guy. I truly couldn't ask for a better best friend.

"That means a lot, man. Thank you."

"No problem."

I turn the television on to some random channel as Scott eats, so that we're not left with the sole sound of him munching on his grub. It also gives me something to focus on, or at least something that can help me fake it. I want to talk to him about this, I just don't know how.

"How much longer do you think it'll be until Joli's able to come back? It shouldn't be too long, should it?" Perfect. Scott's starting a conversation about Joli, so that I don't have to.

"She goes tomorrow to see when she'll be off of her crutches. I figure she'll take a couple of weeks off after that at most, but that'll just be to make sure her ankle is completely healed. Eric said that she's free to return as long as her injury isn't visible." I want her back with us as soon as possible, but not before she's ready.

"It's too boring around here without her. It's been too long since we've all gone out and done something, you know? Either the three of us or the four of us. I know we've seen her since she got hurt, but I miss her." Scott chuckles, looking over at me. There's a look in his eyes, the same one I saw all the time when we would talk about her during our WWF days. Being away from someone you really care for sucks.

"I'm sure being locked up in her house all day isn't good for her." I comment, trying to figure out how I'm going to bridge this conversation into what I want it to be.

"I don't doubt it. It's hell when you're stuck alone with your thoughts." Scott shudders before shaking it off. "We'll have to throw a big party when she comes back, without a doubt."

"Of course." I grin, thinking about how great it'll be when Joli returns. "Our group works best when we're all together. We had a nice little set up, us, Joli, and Kid. Can't wait to get back to that."

"Me either." Scott agrees, leaning back against the headrest. "Nothing has ever broken us all apart, and nothing ever will. Not an injury, or being in a different company, or any type of bullshit."

"What if one of us were to somehow start dating Joli?" Oh, fuck. That flew out of my mouth quicker than I had planned, and Scott is obviously a bit taken back by my question. "Hypothetically speaking, that is."

Scott runs a hand through his hair as he thinks for a moment, a somewhat stunned look on his face. Once he comes up with his answer though, Scott turns back to me with a nonchalant expression.

"I guess it all depends on which of us it was and how they felt about each other. I'd like to think that no matter happens in any of our personal lives, we're all still here for one another."

"We would be. I don't doubt that. I just..." I trail off for a moment, trying to gather my words. Ugh. "It's crossed my mind that it's possible that, at least at some point, with all of us being so close, we could end up together. You and Joli have been really close for a long time, as have I and Joli. I guess I'm throwing it out there that anything is possible."

Scott raises an eyebrow at me for just a moment, and I swear it feels like he's just seen through me completely. I guess that's one of the big downsides of knowing someone so well, and having spent so much time learning their behaviors and their motives. Then again, it was probably obvious from the start.

"You're right. It's entirely plausible that either of us end up with Joli, for however long. It could be forever, or even just a day." Scott then shrugs and folds his arms over his chest, sending me a small smile. "I don't think I ever told you about it, but I actually asked Joli out once. It was, uh, right after she got to WCW. We'd known each other for probably, what, two weeks at that point?"

"Really?" I've never heard either of them mention it, but I'm not surprised it happened. "How'd that go?"

"How do you think?" Scott laughs before a frown comes onto his face. "She shot me down, saying that she wasn't really looking to get into anything serious. I never pushed her on it, and she never brought it up to me again. I assume she's forgotten about that day by this point."

"Huh. You know, I always used to wonder why Joli never really cared about dating. I mean, I get it; lots of sex with whoever the hell you want without any commitment is nice." I pause to gather my thoughts, though Scott pipes in.

"But, there's always got to be some sort of connection when you're fucking your best friend, right? The idea is simple in theory, but it's a lot more complicated when you keep it going for a long period of time."

Scott and I just stare at each other for a moment. There's this... gleam in his eyes that I barely recognize. He's fallen for Joli too, hasn't he?

I wish I knew how she felt, because everything has become so crystal clear to me now.

He's right. We both started having sex with Joli because it was just a nice little release for all of us; as adults, we all enjoy a good fuck. Yet, over the past few years (the past few months especially), things have changed. No matter how much Scott and I tried to distance ourselves and not fall madly in love with Joli, it happened anyway.

I can tell by the way that Scott's looking at me that he knows that his feelings have just hit me. I should've known all along, but I guess I just wanted to deny the way we both felt about Joli.

I clear my throat before I speak again. I don't know if I should necessarily mention my realization or not.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I never used to understand why Joli never seemed interested in a relationship. I figured it was because she could have whoever she wanted at any given time, but I know now that isn't the case. It's not really my place to ask, and you can tell me to just fuck off if you don't want to talk about it, but have you learned anything else about the piece of shit that hurt her?"

"Thomas?" Scott sighs, running a hand through his hair. "No, she's not said anything else about him to me. I've wanted to try and talk to her about him, but like hell I'm bringing that up. Has she talked to you about him?"

"Not at all. She's not said anything to me and I've not dared to ask, especially considering she's never even mentioned him to me."

Fuck Joli's ex-husband. I'd love to just punch that fucker square in the face, or cut his nuts off, or throw him into the depths of hell. Whatever worked at the time.

"I see." Scott and I sit there for a moment before he stands up and walks over to his bag, grabbing some clothes out of it. "Hey, I'm going to go take a shower real quick, all right? Since we've got to be out early in the morning."

"All right." I watch as he walks towards the bathroom. "Scott?" He turns around, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Kev?"

"Whatever the fuck happens in the future, it all boils down to what Joli wants. Nothing is coming between the three of us." Scott nods and throws up a too sweet.

"I know that." He grins as he chuckles and heads on into the bathroom. I sigh and rub the bridge of my nose.

Things are going to be interesting around here from now on, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I need to talk to Joli and just lay things out on the table for her, but I'm going to have to be super fuckin' careful with it.

Maybe she's into me, too? That'd be great.

It's also very possible that she's into Scott, and if that's the case, whatever.

I just have to figure out a way to talk to her, but it's not something I'm going to do over the phone. The next chance I get, it looks like I'm hauling my ass out to Virginia to have some sort of little heart-to-heart with Joli. Fuck, I hope this doesn't end badly.

I love you, babe. I just hope you love me, too.

Chapter 21: possibilities

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

As I sit here in the hotel room by myself, I find my mind running back to the conversation that Kev and I had a couple of weeks ago; that night when it was just the two of us, and we started talking about Jolene.

Kev's going to be making a move on her soon, and honestly, I just don't know what to do. What can I do? He all but admitted that he's fuckin' in-love with her.

I have to do something, though, don't I? Even if Joli doesn't necessarily feel the same way about me that I feel about her, I've got to at least let her know I love her, too.

Goddamn, this is rough. I've never been so fuckin' nervous about a woman in my entire life, but Joli's different. I've never quite met anyone who makes me feel the way that she does. Joli just brings out the better parts of me and she makes me so happy. She's everything I've ever wanted or needed.

Ideally, I'll be able to talk to her before Kev gets the chance. I know he wouldn't pressure her into anything, but I'd like to be the one to throw that shit out there first. My mind is spinning just thinking of this.

Maybe I could just call her up and admit my feelings to her? No, fuck, I can't do that. She'd be so confused if I just called her out of the blue and told her that I'm in love with her. That'd be so lame.

Okay, surely I can come up with a better plan? I could just ask her out to dinner or out to a movie or something, and somewhere along the way I could ask her if she'd like to make it a date. It's not necessarily the most smooth way that I could do it, but I'm sure it could work.

Or, maybe I should just drop it on her when she gets back to work? I could pull her off to the side after Nitro and just tell her then. No, shit, I can't do that; Kev will have probably made his move by then. I'm stumped.

I might talk to Kid about this when he gets back. I mean, if I want to go to anyone about it, he's my best choice. Shawn and Paul don't really know Joli all that well, and like hell I'm going to Dallas. He'd end telling her for me, and I don't want that.

I run a hand through my hair as I stand up off the bed and walk over to the large mirror on the wall. I look myself over a couple of times as I try to come up with some sort of game plan. I should probably just tell Joli how I feel, but for the first time in my goddamn life, I'm nervous about ruining a relationship.

She's hurt and so am I. Neither of us have the best track record when it comes to being with someone, but I really believe Joli and I could make it work. It just all depends on what she wants.

I shove my hands into my pockets right as I hear a shuffle at the door. A couple of moments later, the door opens, revealing a grinning Kid. He's carrying enough beer to last the two of us until Kev gets here tomorrow.

"I hope I wasn't gone too long. You didn't get bored without me, did you?" Kid jokes as he closes the door behind him.

"Nah, it's fine, man. Hand me one of those." I send him a grin as I walk back over to my bed and sit down. I open the damn bottle up the moment he hands it to me. "Thanks."

"No problem." Kid replies cheerfully as he grabs a drink for himself. He takes a seat in the office chair and kicks back in it before opening his beer.

"You're in an awfully good mood tonight. I'm assuming that chick you met at the signing was a damn good lay, huh?" I send him a wink before taking a long drink.

"Oh, she was great." Kid sighs happily. "Definitely the best I've been with in quite a long time."

"That's good! I'm glad you had fun." I chuckle. We fall into this silence for a moment, where we're just enjoying our drinks.

Should I go ahead and talk to Kid about Joli? Yeah, I might as well, right?

"Kid?" He looks over at me when I say his name. "I need your help with something, but it's a little out there. It's not the kind of shit we usually talk about."

"Yeah, man, of course. You know I'll always do anything that I can to help you out. You're one of my best friends." Kid grins, still looking as happy as ever. "What is it?"

"Well, I don't guess there's any reason to beat around the damn bush." I let out a small, nervous laugh. "I love Joli and I don't know how to tell her. Kev loves her, too, and I think he's going to try and talk to her about it sometime soon."

"Oh God, Scott," Kid groans as he slaps a hand on his head, "I don't know what to do about this. I knew this day would come, but I didn't think I'd be the one you came to."

"I really don't know what to do, man. How do I tell her?" I need some sort of help with this!

"The best thing I can say is to be upfront about it. I mean, the worst thing she can say is that she's not interested, right? I always thought it was strange, the way you three got along sometimes. If you and Kev both love her, I'd say it's pretty damn likely that she likes the both of you, too." Oh come on, that's exactly what I was afraid of!

"So do I just spring it on her? What if she actually doesn't give a shit about me that way, though? What if she's only interested in Kev?" There are so many possibilities as to how Joli could feel and it's making my head spin.

"The only way that you're going to find any of that out is by asking her, man. You have to talk to her."

"Do I do it in person, or do I call her? I'm lost, Kid. I really am. I've never been this damn worried about screwing something up with a girl before. I love her." I lean my head back against the headboard and cast my gaze to the ceiling. Really, what should I do?

"Scott, man, you've got to just go for it. I mean, I want to help you, I really, truly do. It's just..." Kid trails off and I look over at him, giving him a joking look.

"What," I tease, "do you love Joli too?"

"Huh?" Kid blinks before shaking his head and furrowing his brows. "No! I mean, not in the way you guys love her. She's like my big sister or some shit like that."  He then sighs and leans forward, propping his elbows up on his knees. "I just really don't know if I should really be getting in the middle of all of this. I love you, and Kev, and Joli way too much to tell you what to do."

I understand where he's coming from, and honestly, I probably should've just come up with something myself. I wish he'd be able to give me some sort of idea, but I'm not going to pressure him about it. I appreciate Kid just talking to me, honestly.

"No, man, I get it. Thanks anyway." I give Kid a grin before taking another long drink of my beer. I'm going to drink a lot tonight, I know that much.

"I'm sorry. I really am." Kid frowns. "Besides, I'm really not the best person to go to for relationship advice, anyway. I've never been able to keep a woman for more than a few months."

"We're a sorry ass group, aren't we? You, me, Kev, and Joli. We're all fuckin' horrible at love." I laugh and so does Kid. He nods and sends me a grin as he replies.

"We've all fucked up a time or two along the way, but that's fine, you know? We'll all figure life and love and all that out eventually."

"You're right." I agree, swinging my bottle. "Here's to hoping for the best?"

"Why do you sound so confused about it? If you're going to have a toast, you've got to be confident about it!" Kid chuckles as he raises his bottle into air. "Here's to hoping for the best! May love explain itself to us so that we're not so goddamn confused about it all the time!"

"And may I figure out what the fuck I'm supposed to do about Joli." I add, raising up my bottle.

"Yeah!"

Kid and I hold our bottles out towards one another as a way to clink to them from across the room before we both take long drinks. I chug the remainder of my beer before sitting the empty bottle down in the floor and standing up.

"Hey, hand me another one man. You got anything else that you need to do tonight?" I hold my hand out while Kid leans over to grab me another beer. He passes me a bottle and I open it immediately.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm probably going to go see that chick from the signing again in the morning, though. She said she's leaving town around ten, but she also said that I could meet her at her hotel around seven." Kid grins. I gently thump his head as I take a drink.

"I'm surprised you've not just invited her back here. Wouldn't be the first time you've gotten it on with me in the room." I comment before sitting back down on my bed. Kid shrugs and laughs even more.

"I love how you go from trying to get relationship advice from me one minute to telling me have sex in your presence. That's a big change, man."

"Oh shut up. I try to help you out and that what's you say to me?" I laugh as I pick a pillow up and chuck it at his head. Kid tries to duck, but when does, he nearly ends up falling out of the chair. I shake my head as I watch him readjust himself in his seat. "That's what you get!"

"You're so mean, Scott." Kid whines as he bends over and picks up the pillow. "You know that?"

"I actually don't think I'm mean at all." I barely have time to talk before Kid throws the pillow back at me. I duck out of the way just in time, and the pillow smacks the wall beside of me. "All right, if that's the game you want to play..."

I take a long chug of my beer before sitting it down on the nightstand beside of me. If I'm going to get into some damn pillow fight with Kid, shit, I'm going to be boozed up for it. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him sit his bottle down, too; as I grab the pillows on my bed, he grabs the ones on his.

I still don't know what I'm going to do about my feelings for Joli. I love her more than I've ever loved anyone in this world, aside from my little Codster. I guess I'll just talk to her the first chance I get; whatever happens, happens. Joli, babe, I hope you're willing to give me a chance, even though I know it's entirely possible you won't.

I really do love you, Jolene.

"You'll never take me down, fucker!" Kid exclaims as he starts flinging pillows at my head. I dodge all but one of them, and it hits me square in the forehead.

Oh, it's on.

Chapter 22: good for you

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I'm washing dishes when I hear a knock on my front door. The moment the sound reaches my ears, a large grin spreads across my face. Dallas and Kim have made it!

"Hey, Joli! Let us in!" Dally calls with a laugh while I sit some dishes back down in the sink and dry off my hands.

"I'm coming! Hold on!" I chuckle as I carefully scurry to the door. It feels so good to be able to move on my own, without any sort of cast or brace.

I open up the door and the moment Kimberly lays eyes on me, she pulls me in for a big hug. I don't hesitate at all to return the gesture as laughter comes from both of our chests. God, I've missed her!

"Hey, don't forget about me, girl!" Dallas jokes. The moment Kimberly and I part, Dallas wraps his arms around my shoulders and brings me in closer to his chest. I hug him as tightly as I can before he coughs and lets me go. "I forget how tightly you can hug someone. I guess that means you've missed me?"

"I've honestly missed the two of you more than I could ever explain. It's so damn nice to see you in person again." I smile as I step back and give the couple enough room to come inside. Dallas picks their bags up from the ground and carries them in behind Kim. I shut the door before Dally pipes in.

"We've missed you too, Joli. Hey, your guest room is down that way, isn't it?" He asks, pointing in the right direction. I nod and he gives me a grin before heading to put their things down.

"How's it feel to finally be up and moving?" Kim smiles at me as she sits down on my couch. "It's honestly just so nice to be able to see you on your feet again."

"Isn't it, though? I'd nearly forgotten how nice it was to be able to walk without any kind of support. I can't say I'm not the slightest bit worried about it, though, because I am. I have this irrational fear that I'm going to go to stand up and my ankle is going to snap again." I admit as I shudder and take a seat in my recliner.

"You'll feel like that for a few days, but I promise it'll fade. Your ankle is completely fine." I know she's right, but it still feels so weird. "You'll be back running around the ring in no time."

"God, I hope so. Bischoff said if everything keeps up, I should be back in a couple of weeks." I smile and Kim lets out an excited squeal.

"Really?! That's great!" She cheers.

"Holy shit, that soon? That's awesome, sis!" Dallas claps loudly as he walks back into the room, a wide grin upon his lips. "Maybe now Scott and Kevin won't look so damn dreary all the time."

"Page!" Kim scolds while I look between the two of them with a raised brow. "Be nice!"

"What? You know I'm right, babe. The two look like they've lost a piece of themselves with Jolene gone. I think it'll be good for all of them to get back together."

"Has it really been that bad?" I ask Kim as Dallas sits down beside of her.

"No." Kim glares at Dallas as he laughs. "They've obviously missed you, but they've not been as down as someone likes to think."

"I just call it like I see it, babe." Dallas smirks. "I just call it like I see it."

I swear, I've missed these two goofs. Dallas and Kim really are two the kindest people that I've ever been lucky enough to call my friend. I just hope that Dally really is just being a little bit of an ass, and that Scott and Kev really haven't been too upset while I've been gone. Surely they'd tell me, right?

Probably not. I'm just going to have to take Kim's word for it.

"So, are you two going to be able to stay two days or three?" I ask as I cross my legs. "You know I'm excited as hell to have you over, I just need to know when to tell Kev to meet me."

"We just get here and she's already pushing us out so that she can go get laid." Dallas sighs dramatically; I knew I should've found a different way to ask that. "We love you too, Jolene."

"Page, I swear... Be nice to her." Kim gently bumps Dally with her elbow before turning her attention back to me. "We'll be staying two days, since we've got shows this weekend. What are you and Kevin going to do?"

"He's invited me to spend some time with him up in Michigan. We were going to go out with Scott, but he's keeping Cody this weekend and the last thing I'd ever want is to try and take time away from the little guy." I explain with a smile. I've not met Cody in person, but I've seen all sorts of pictures of him. He's such a cute kid and Scott's a wonderful father. They're the perfect little team.

"That sounds like it'll be nice! I hope you two have a great weekend." Kim's so sweet.

"So do I. I hope you crazy kids have fun." Aw, Dally can be so sweet. "Just don't forget your condoms, all right?" Aaaaand, there he goes.

"Page!"

"You sure that you don't want a bunch of little nieces and nephews runnin' around, Dally?" I joke. Kids would be nice though, wouldn't they? It's too bad I'll probably never be a mom.

"I don't think the world is ready for a miniature version of you and Kevin or even you and Scott, Jolene. I don't think the world would ever be ready for that!" Dallas starts to laugh once more, but Kim nudges him again and he stops. I can't help but grin at the two of them. "Seriously though, I hope you and Kevin have all kinds of fun this weekend, whether it be sexual or not."

"Thanks, Dally."

The three of us sit around and chat until it's almost dinner time. It's been so long since I've really been able to talk to Kim and Dallas both at the same time; it's usually been one or the other on the phone, with Kim typically being the one to call me. Then, the one time before this that they were able to stop by and see me, they were only able to stay for a day. I've really enjoyed being able to catch up with them.

However, the more the day drags on, the more we end up talking about work and about Scott and Kevin. I've been meaning to talk to Kim and see if she could help shed some light on the confusing feelings that I've been struggling with, but I don't know how to bring the subject up. I love Dally dearly, but I also don't want to say anything with him here; I'd either get some big brother pep talk or he'd try to take matters into his own hands.

Trust me when I say that no one wants Diamond Dallas Page meddling in their love life.

Man, it's such a weird thing to me to say I have a 'love life.' I've really fallen for my boys, haven't I? Wow-oh-wow.

"Has Eric told you what the plans for your return are yet?" Dallas asks as he leans back in his seat. We're currently all out on my back porch, enjoying the warm weather. I take a drag on my cigarette before answering him.

"He has. It looks like I'm going to be accompanying Kid to the ring, after Scott, Kev, Kid, and I have a big reunion backstage. I'm going to be cutting a big promo post-match and talking about my injury and all that shit. It's going to be nice." I grin as I tap my ashes into my ash tray.

"I'm sure it will be. So, just a couple of weeks from now you'll be back on the road, right?" Dally just seems so excited. He's the kind of friend that everyone needs.

"Exactly." I giggle. I cannot wait until I'm on the road again, but before that point comes, I need to figure out what I want to do about Scott and Kevin. I'm conflicted!

"So, what would you two like for dinner tonight?" Kim asks as she looks between Dallas and I. I shrug, looking over at Dallas.

"I hadn't really thought about it. I figured I'd just throw something in the oven, or that we'd go out somewhere. Do you have anything in mind?"

"Nah," Dallas shakes his head, "I really don't have a preference. What about you, babe?"

"Well, I saw a little pizzeria on the way down here and I thought it seemed like a nice place. Maybe we could get something from there?" Kim suggests. "Do they deliver?"

"Oh, the place about twenty minutes from here? The one that's on your way here, when you get into town?" Kim nods. "Oh! Okay. No, they don't deliver. Their pizza is damn good though. I'd actually been in the mood for some lately, I just hadn't had a chance to go get it."

"I can go pick it up." Dally offers, sitting back up in his seat. "If you gals are hungry, I don't mind at all to run out."

"You sure? I'd hate to ask you to run out and grab dinner when you already traveled so far to come see me." I frown, but Dallas waves his hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it, Joli." He sends me a grin. "What should we get?"

We work out our pizza order and as soon as it's finalized, we call it in. Kim and I wave Dally off before we sit back down in the living room so that we can wait.

"All right, now cut the act. Something has been on your mind, Jolene, and I want you to tell me all about it." I shouldn't be as surprised by Kim's statement as I, but I find my mouth dropping nonetheless.

"You can see right through me, can't you?"

"Always, Joli." Kim smiles at me for just a moment before letting her lips once more fall flat. "Now get talking. What've you been thinking about?"

"Honestly? Scott and Kevin. I'm lost, Kimberly. I believe that I love both of them, but I don't know how to handle that." This is the first time I've ever admitted that to anyone other than myself. It's relieving.

"Joli, Joli, Joli... That's what's been bugging you? I could've told you years ago that you were in-love with those two." She sighs and shakes her head, but she's smiling softly at me. "Are you really just now figuring this out?"

"I guess so." I mutter stubbornly as I cross my arms over my chest. I can feel my cheeks heating up; why do I have to blush right now? "I mean, I might have always known, but I've only accepted it recently."

"Do you have the slightest idea which one you like more?" I shake my head and Kim sighs once more. "Then I guess we'll have to figure that out."

"But how, Kim? I don't even know if I'm ready to try and start a relationship." I can't help but frown.

"How long has it been since you and Thomas divorced?" The mere mention of his name makes me cringe, but I carry on.

"January made seven years."

"All right, that's good! Seven years is a long time, Joli." I know that, Kimberly. I must have accidentally sent her an annoyed look, as her expression turns to an apologetic one. "I know this isn't easy for you to hear, but if you're going to ever move past what Thomas did to you, you've got to move on."

I've still not told anyone everything that went on in my marriage; in fact, I've not really said anything about what happened. The only two people I've even mentioned Thomas to (aside from those that knew us when we were together) are Kimberly and Scott.

"I have moved on." I insist, but Kim's not buying it. She shakes her head and I don't blame her.

"I don't think even you believe that, honey." I don't. "I genuinely believe that dating would be good for you. You honestly have not had a single relationship since then?"

"Not a one. I've hooked up with more dudes than I can count, but I've never had anything serious with any of them. In fact, there are only two guys that I've slept with over the past seven years that I've even bothered to keep any sort of friendship with, and look where that's gotten me." I cast my gaze down to the floor. This conversation isn't an easy one for me to have, but I trust Kimberly.

"Don't rush anything, all right? I do think that dating would help you greatly, but don't jump into it before you're ready." Kim says after a brief pause. "But, I also think that you should talk to both Scott and Kevin before you make any sort of decision. Maybe by talking to them you can get a better idea of which one you love more?"

That sounds like a really good idea, honestly. I don't particularly like the idea of dating again, but, I think it's something that I could warm up to over time. I've just got to figure myself out more and figure out where my heart resides.

"Thank you for all of this, Kimberly. I honestly do appreciate you talking to me like this. I'd be lost without you." I grin at Kim and she instantly lights up.

"You're my goofy best friend, Jolene. You don't have to thank me for anything." Kimberly gets up off of the couch and walks over to my side. She wraps her arms around me in a big hug and as I return it, we both burst into laughter.

Thank you, Kim. Thank you.

The two of us have no more than stood up when we Dallas returns. He's carrying boxes of pizza and bags of drinks and other assorted goodies. Bless you, brother.

"You didn't have to get all of this extra stuff, Dally." I smile up at Dallas as I take the bags out from under his arms. We all three walk into my kitchen. "You're too good to me."

"Ah, I figured if we're getting pizza, might as well go all fuckin' out." Dallas chuckles as we sit everything down on my kitchen table. "We have to celebrate! You're on your feet again!"

"Thank you." I giggle as I give Dallas a big hug.

"You're welcome, sis." Dallas gently pats my and gives me a one-armed hug before pulling back and clapping his hands together. "All right! Now listen, I've been driving all over town with this nice pizza in the car and I am starving. Let's eat!"

As I head to my cabinets and starting gathering plates and cups, I can't help but fuckin' smile. I've got a lot I need to figure out, with how I feel about Scott and Kevin, and how I need to handle myself; but, right now, I'm not going to worry about that. For now, I'm just going to have a nice dinner with two of the greatest people in my world.

Chapter 23: after all this time

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

It's honestly hard for me to not be fuckin' ecstatic as I grab Joli's bags out of the trunk of my truck. We've got the next two days together and it's going to be amazing. This is the first time she's gone out of town since her injury and I mean, yeah, she's a long way from home, but I know she's as excited as I am, if not drastically more.

"So, Kev, what are we going to do first?" Joli asks as she walks over beside of me, a smile upon her lips. God, she looks so beautiful right now, underneath the bright ass sun.

"We can do whatever you want, babe. We can fuck around here or we can head back into town and find something. These next couple of days are all about you having the time of your life." I chuckle as I start walking over towards my house. Joli's following closely behind me.

"All right, I'll see what I can come up with." Joli mutters happily as I open up the door. I let her in first before closing the door behind me.

"Hey, you want to share a room with me? Or you want the guest room?" I ask, pretty much knowing the answer already.

"How comfortable are the beds?" Joli sends me a goofy grin.

"I don't know, that's up to you to decide. We could go test them out, if you'd like." I joke, having to stifle a laugh when she playfully rolls her eyes. "I'm kidding."

"I'm sure." Joli giggles as she starts looking around, naturally curious. I mean, this is the first time she's ever been to my place. I just hope that my simple, shitty decorating skills are good enough for her.

Eh, I'm sure it's all fine. Joli's not big on materialistic shit like that.

"I'm just going to go ahead and put your bags down in my room, all right? If the bed's not good enough for you, I'll move your stuff into the guest room later." I laugh as I head towards my bedroom. I sit her bags down on my bed and then take just a moment to let this all sink in.

I have to say something to Joli while she's here. This is the best chance I'm ever going to have when it comes to talking to her about my feelings, so I'll have to take it. I just have to wait for the best moment.

"All right, so, what is there around here that we can get into? I mean, I definitely don't want to sit in the house all day, so sell me on something around here. Give me some options." As I walk back into the living room, Joli turns around so that she can talk to me.

"Well, like I said, we can head back into town and find some shit to get into. There are all kinds of movie theaters, bowling alleys, shopping centers, and things like that not too far from here." I say as I make a mental list of everything nearby. "Or, I could just show you around the damn area here. There are all kinds of little trails around here that we could ride on."

The moment I mention going on a ride, some dumbfounded look comes onto Joli's face. I can't help but laugh at her.

"I'm sorry, what? Like, backroads and all of that?" Joli, please.

"Yeah," I grin as I walk over to the table near my front door, grabbing a set of four wheeler keys from its drawer, "I mean, if you're interested."

"I'm sorry, I've just never really gone out in the country before." Joli watches as I jingle the keys on my way back over to her.

"You really mean to tell me that you grew up in some dumb-fuck town in Virginia, but you've never gone riding on a four wheeler before?" She shakes her head with this embarrassed little look on her face. "That's it. That's what we're doing." It's so hard for me to not laugh even more.

"All right? I mean, I've heard people talk about doing it before, but I've never done it."

"It's not that big of a deal, girly." I grin as I pat her back. I scan over her clothing and shake my head. She looks goddamn smokin', but that attire is not going to work. "You're going to want to change your clothes, though. Getting your ass on a four wheeler is not going to be that fun when you're in those sexy little jeans."

"I guess I'll be right back then." Joli's still confused as fuck, but she's smiling. Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun.

I take a seat on my couch as I wait for Joli to change her clothes. She heads off into my bedroom, and as I'm sitting here, I just play with the keys in my hands. It's honestly kind of sad how amusing it is just to twirl a key ring around on your fingers.

"Does this work?" Joli catches my attention as she walks back into the room, her arms outstretched. She turns around so that I can look over her new outfit; she's wearing some short black shorts and a white tank top with some black sneakers. Joli keeps our black and white aesthetic, most of the time.

"Let's hope for the sake of your shirt that it's not too muddy out." I chuckle as I stand up and grab a hair tie out of my pocket. As I speak again, I pull my hair back into a low ponytail. "You look great, though. That'll be a lot more comfortable for you."

"I'll just bleach this if I need to." Joli shrugs as she tugs at the hem of her top. "Thanks, though. Ready to head on out?"

"Absolutely." I ruffle Joli's hair before heading over to my front door. I grab a couple of shades out of the same drawer I'd gotten the keys out of earlier and hand her a pair. "Put these on. You'll thank me later. If you don't protect your eyes, all sorts of bugs and shit get in there." We both slide on the glasses as I motion for her to head on out of the house. Once she does, I follow her. I lock the door behind me before walking over to my garage. "All right, stand back." I dramatically instruct as I start to open up my garage. I hear her take a few steps over to the side.

Once the garage is opened up, I motion over to my pride and joy of a four wheeler. Joli leans over so that she can see it, and as soon as she lays eyes on it, she fuckin' grins.

"That's it?"

"You're damn right it is! Look at her; isn't she nice?" I'm proud of my little ride. I picked her up not long after I signed with WCW, to replace the one I had beforehand. When I was working for Vince, I never really had time for stupid shit like this. Downtime is nice. "Close the door behind me once I get this out of here, all right?"

"Will do." I send Joli a grin before walking over to my vehicle and climbing on top of it. I start up my four wheeler and back it out of the garage and then wait for Joli to shut and lock the door.

"All right, climb on up. Be careful on this side, because that's where the motor is. It's easy to burn yourself on it." I motion to the right side as she walks over. I've singed my damn leg hair more times than I can count over the years from not paying enough attention to things like that.

Joli climbs up on the back and I watch over my shoulder as she makes herself comfortable. She looks like she's excited, but she's still a little stumped.

"Scoot as close to me as you as you can and wrap your arms around my waist. Some of the roads back here are pretty damn bumpy, and the last thing I'd want is for you to fall off and hurt yourself again." I turn my head back around to face the world in front of me once Joli's small arms wrap around my waist. It just feels so right, being this close to her.

"Exactly how bad do some of the roads get around here?" Joli questions as I start to back up a bit more. I know exactly where we'll be going, and oh, it's going to be an adventure.

"Ah, they're not too bad!" I laugh as I head off towards my destined path. "Don't worry about it!"

"You'd better know what you're doing!" Joli has to yell so that I can hear her. "Otherwise, I'll kick your ass!"

"Bring it on!"

The moment we start to go up the first rugged hill, I feel Joli tense up. I want to tell her to relax, but I know she will on her own. She's just got to get used to type of thing.

Sure enough, as soon as we start going on a fairly straight path, Joli's having the time of her life. It's hard for me to really hear her, but she occasionally giggles rather loudly. I knew she'd love it. As we approach a big stretch of mud, I slow things down and eventually stop; I keep the motor running, though.

"You think we can get through that?" I ask as I look at Joli over my shoulder. Her hair is blown back from the ride and it looks absolutely wild.

"I doubt it, but I'm sure you'll try anyway." Joli smirks.

"You really want to give it a shot?" I was going to do it anyway, but I'm glad she's as into this as I am.

"Why the fuck not?" Joli pulls back for a moment and wipes some sweat off of her forehead. "Besides, if we get stuck, you'll be the one that has to push us out, not me."

"Ah, you wouldn't help me?" I tease.

"Do you really think I'd be much help in that situation?" She sends me this little devious smile and I just shake my head.

I'm fuckin' whipped.

"Probably not." I laugh as I turn back around. "Let's fuckin' go!"

I hear Joli gasp as I speed us off towards the mud. We easily speed through most of it, but we nearly get stuck near the end of it. I have to stop myself from busting into a full-toothed grin as Joli buries her face in the back of my shirt and starts squealing. Once we break the through mud, I hear her curse.

"Goddammit, Kev! Some of that shit got in my mouth!"

"I've never really heard you complain about getting things in your mouth before, babe! Sorry about that!" I laugh as Joli silently pinches my side. "Ow! Rude!"

There's just something special about riding out in the country alongside the one you love. I can't think of anything that I can compare it to, if I were to be honest. Being out here with Jolene is the most natural thing in the world.

I take us along the trail and up a bunch of different roads, and after a good while of driving, we finally reach the place I'd wanted to bring her all along. We're up high, in a wooded area that breaks off into a long downwards slope. You can see for literal miles up here. I pull us over to one of the leveled areas and turn the four-wheeler off.

"I've always thought this was one of the most beautiful places around here." I tell Joli as I motion for her to leap off first. I follow her, once her feet touch the ground. "I hope you've enjoyed the ride up here as much as I have."

"It's been really nice. This place really is just... Wow." Joli trails off as she walks closer to the edge, folding her arms across her chest on the way. "I love it."

"So, you really never explored the scenery in Virginia?" I walk over beside of Joli and place a hand on her shoulder. She takes her sunglasses off and places them on the top of her head, and I do the same.

I really do adore the view out here, but goddamn, she's the best part of it. Her dark hair is an absolute mess at this point, and she's got a bit of mud on her, but Joli is gorgeous. She's smiling so peacefully, too.

I love her. I really do.

"Nope. I mean, there were all kinds of kids that would invite me to go hang out with them and go on little adventures back in the day, but I never took them up on the offers. Come high school, I kept to myself, mostly, and barely bothered even leaving the house." Joli looks up at me, her green eyes complimenting the nearby trees perfectly. "I didn't realize I'd been missing out on so much."

"There are a lot of little things in life that are a lot more than anyone could ever give them credit for being." I chuckle as I let my hand drop back down to my side.

"Thank you for bringing me out here."

"Thanks for coming with me."

We stare at the scene for a couple of minutes, and the more time passes, the faster I feel my heart beat in my chest. This is it. This is where I have to do it.

I walk over towards the trees. Joli follows me, and after I take and release a long breath, I stop in my tracks. Joli sends me a confused look, but I turn to her and place a single hand upon her cheek. Without much more thought, I lean down and place the most passionate kiss I've ever given anyone upon her sweet lips.

Dear God, let this not end badly.

I don't really give Joli enough time to return the kiss; I pull back rather quickly. She looks shy and even more confused than before.

"You've never kissed me like that before." Joli comments softly before making her tone a bit more teasing. "You must really want to fuck in the woods, Nash."

"It's not that, babe..." I remove my hand from her cheek and move it up to my own forehead, so that I can wipe some sweat off of it.

"Then what is it?" Of course she's not going to make this easy on me.

"It's a bit more complicated than that. I thought this would be a lot easier for me to get off my chest than it is." I watch carefully as she once more folds her arms across her chest. Joli's nervous, but I can't read if she's feeling good or bad about this. "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?"

"I mean, I think I do, but I'm probably wrong, and-"

"Jesus fuck, Jolene," I let out a small, nervous chuckle; I must look like a fuckin' mess, "are you really too blind to see how I feel about you? Really? After all this time?"

The realization of the situation hits Joli like a bus. She swallows hard and starts rubbing one of her arms with her thumb; I can see a damn sea of emotions traveling across her pretty little face.

"Joli, babe? Please, just say something."

"I-I really want to say something, I do, but I don't know what to say. I mean, I guess I'm technically saying something now, but- ah, fuck." She mutters before letting out a sigh. "Kim told me this wouldn't be that hard, but oh fuck, was she wrong. I wish I had my cigarettes on me right now."

"If you really don't feel the same way about me, it's completely fuckin' fine. I just wanted to-"

"Kev, no. Please. Don't do that to yourself. Are you really too blind to see that I feel the same way about you?" My mouth drops slightly and if she didn't still look so conflicted, I'd throw my arms around her and pull her close. No, God, tell me she doesn't- "I just... I don't know what to do. I'm scared, first of all, and I also..."

"You love Scott too, don't you?" I try to keep the pain out of my voice, but based on her reaction, I don't hide it very well. "Fuck, I should've known. Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Kevin. I don't. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure all of this out, but I just don't know what's right and what's not." Tears start to form in Joli's eyes and I immediately frown. Please don't cry, babe... "Even if I could make some sort of decision there, I'm just... I'm fucking afraid. I'm afraid of dating. I'm afraid of giving so much of myself to someone and just having it end in flames."

Joli throws her hands up in the air before turning around and walking over to a nearby tree. She rests her arms against it for a moment and places her forehead against her arms, in some sort of attempt to calm herself.

"I'm sorry, babe, but you've not got to make any kind of decision right now. I really just wanted to let you know how I feel. If you love me and want to be with me, that's totally fine. If you'd rather be with Scott, that's okay, too. If you want to just wait on all of this, you can." I walk up behind of Joli and place a hand on the middle of her back, rubbing it as comfortingly as I possibly can.

"I want to make a decision." Joli coughs to clear her throat before she turns back around to face me. She takes both of my hands into hers and holds them up level with her chest. "I just..."

"We can talk about it when you're ready. There's no rush at all." As soon as I smile at her, Joli smiles back at me. "Let's head on back to the house and find something eat, shall we? We've been out here a while."

"Sounds good to me." Joli lets out a small chuckle before squeezing my hands. She then lets mine fall and uses her to wipe away the small tears that had escaped her eyes.

"Ladies first." I motion towards my four wheeler with as charming a grin as I can manage and, after playfully shaking her head at me, Joli walks on over and jumps on it. I follow behind her and get on after her. "Don't forget the shades." We both slide our glasses back on.

"Kev?" Joli stops me before I start the vehicle.

"Yeah, babe? What is it?" She pauses for a moment, then wraps her arms around my waist and says something that I've been waiting years to hear.

"You do know that I really do love you, right?"

I feel my heart jump out of my chest as I finally tell her, "I love you too, Jolene." I feel her chuckle as she presses her cheek against my back.

"Let's go get that food now, okay? And my God, I need a smoke."

Now it's my turn to laugh. I turn the four wheeler on and start taking off as I reply to her.

"Your wish is my command!"

Chapter 24: like a fuckin' drum

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

The moment the phone by my head starts ringing, I wake the fuck up and groan. It's early as hell on this Saturday morning; who wants me at this hour? I don't really want to answer the phone, but if I don't, it'll wake Cody up. Last night it broke my heart when he didn't sleep in here with me, but this morning, I'm glad he didn't. Hopefully, he's still out like a light.

"Hello?" I yawn as I speak.

"Fuck man, did I wake you up? I'm sorry." It's Kev. Cool.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'd have gotten up eventually." I mutter as I drag myself up, leaning my back against the headboard. "What's on your mind this morning, big guy?"

"Well," Kev lets out a heavy sigh, "I wanted to talk to you about Joli."

The moment her name comes from Kev's lips, I feel my heart skip a beat. Please tell me that I haven't already missed my chance with her. I was going to go see her this coming week!

"Are the two of you together now?" The words feel flat as I say them. "If you are, it's okay, I-"

"No, we're not. I told her how I felt about her yesterday and she said that she had a lot to take into consideration." In a softer, quieter voice, he adds, "A good part of it is that she's still so fucked up from her past marriage. She's terrified of getting into another relationship."

I smack the back of my head against my headboard, just enough to make a noise with it. Thomas, if I knew where you were at this minute, you miserable sack of shit, I'd go kick your goddamned ass. Why in the world did you feel the need to treat that beautiful, kind-hearted woman so fuckin' poorly? Why did you have to hurt her?

"Did she crack anymore about what he did to her?" I'm not even sure I want to know at this point.

"No. She's still not so much as mentioned him to me yet." Kev sighs once more.

"I hate to ask, Kev, but did Joli say anything about how she-"

"That's not my place to say. I didn't tell her how you felt about her, so I'm not going to say how she feels about you. That's between you and Jolene." I hate the feeling of hope and excitement that surges through me as I listen to Kev. I've got to talk to Joli as soon as I can.

"I understand." I say as I absentmindedly run a few of my fingers along the edge of my blanket. I don't know what to do, aside from just talk to her. But I can't really talk to Joli when she's with Kev; I'm sure the only reason he's talking to me now, is because she's probably asleep.

"I just wanted to give you the heads-up and let you know that I've at least made my case. The decision is hers to make." Kev clears his throat before he adds, "Nothing is ever going to come between us, brother."

"Of course. We're all family. Whether Joli ends up with me or you or even someone else, we'll all be as close as we always were." I pray that remains true. I'm trying to remain as hopeful as I possibly can about this, but I feel like I've already lost Joli because Kev talked to her first. Dammit!

"We're family forever, Scott."

"Hell yeah we are."

"But listen, it sounds like Joli's getting up. I'll see you at the arena Monday afternoon, okay?" Kev's voice instantly perks up the moment he says her name.

"All right, man. I'll see you then."

"Tell your boy I said 'hi'!" I smile. I can't stay upset too long, not at Kev. Not now.

"I will, man. You and Joli have fun!"

"Will do!"

I sit down the phone once Kev ends the call on his end. I release a heavy sigh before slowly making my way out of my bedroom and down the hall to Cody's room. I carefully peak open his door, so that I can check on him; he's still sound asleep. The biggest of grins comes onto my face as I watch my son sleep; I've made so many bad choices in my life and I've fucked a lot of things up, but Cody? He's perfect.

After I close the door to Cody's room, I head back into mine. I go to my connected bathroom and once I'm done there, I go back and sit on my bed. God, it's early, but it'll still probably be a bit before Cody wakes up. Should I go ahead and try to fix some breakfast for us? I mean, I don't want to finish everything super early and have it be cold when he's ready to eat.

I want to try and get back to sleep, but there's no point in that. As soon as I'd get comfortable, Codster would probably be up and runnin'. Might as well kill some time, right?

I turn on my television and make myself comfortable in bed. I'll just lay around for about an hour and then go start cooking. That's a good plan.

I'm no more than fifteen minutes into a show when my phone rings again. I catch it as soon as it starts ringing.

"Hello?"

"Scott?" Joli, babe? "Hey, are you busy right now?"

"Nah, not at all. I'm just waiting for a little more time to pass before Cody gets up. What's up?"

"Can I talk to you for a little bit? I mean, shit, it's a weird thing to really talk about but..." Joli trails off and sighs.

"Is Kev there?"

"He's gone to pick up some shit from the store; we're going out to this big lake near his place later and he wanted to get a few things before we left." Joli chuckles nervously. "Fuck, I don't even know how to start this."

"Just start at the beginning. Say whatever you need to say. You know I'm always here for you, doll face." I grin, but I can't shake these feelings of anticipation and dread that have washed over me. Let's see how this goes.

"All right... So, yesterday, Kev took me on this beautiful ride out in the country. I rode a four wheeler for the first time ever. That's pretty damn fun, you know?" I can't help but laugh.

"It's nice! The wind in your hair, the fresh air in your lungs..."

"Right?" Joli giggles. "It was great." She then takes a deep breath and pauses for a moment; when she begins talking again, there's this tone of uncertainty in her voice. "Kev took me up on top of this hill and we had a long talk. I'm... I don't know what to do, Scott."

"What did you two talk about?" I ask cautiously, as if I don't know.

"Kev told me that he loves me and I told him that I love him, too." A piece of my heart breaks, hearing her say that. "But, Scott... I love you, too."

Without taking a single moment to think, I reply, "I love you too, Jolene. Goddamn, I love you, too." The second those words fall from my lips, it's as if a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I've finally told Joli how I feel about her.

The line goes nearly silent for a moment, the only thing proving to me that she's not hung up being the sound of Joli breathing. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. But, I've got to do something.

"I know you're scared of having a relationship again. I know you're scared of getting hurt. The choice is yours, Joli; I just hope you know that Kev and I are nothing like Thomas. We both genuinely do love you and will do anything that we can for you."

"Thank you, Scott. Thank you." Joli lets out a small sigh. "You've been waiting years for me to get my emotions sorted out, haven't you? You've had some sort of interest in me ever since we met, for some reason or another." She chuckles softly. "Fuck, this is tough."

"I've loved you for a long time, Joli. Many years have passed since we first met, but I've not stopped loving you for a single second. At the end of the day, all that really matters to me is your happiness. If there's anything at all that I can do to help you figure yourself and your feelings out, just tell me."

"I appreciate the support. I'm just so torn because of all of this. I want to try and move on and I want to try and have a real relationship. There aren't two people on this Earth that I trust more than I trust you and Kev. I just..." Joli once more trails off to gather her thoughts. "I'm sorry about this. I really am."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You didn't mean to steal our hearts the way you did." I have to joke around with her some, right? Joli chuckles and that makes it worth it. "I love you far too much to be upset at you over anything related to this. But, it'd be a lie for me to say I wouldn't jump in the fuckin' air if I happened to be the guy that you chose to start a new relationship with. I mean, I'm an asshole and you deserve better, I know. But if you're willing to give me a chance, I'll do everything I can to make you the happiest damn woman in the world."

I swear, this conversation is a lot harder for me than I had thought it would be. I can't really judge Joli's reactions all that well over the phone, since I can't see her. It's impossible for me to shake this feeling of dread and worry; I've always been so confident with women but it's so different when Joli's involved. I don't want to ruin anything with her. I don't want to lose her.

And, I know I won't lose her if she and Kev get together. She'll still be my best friend and one of the greatest things to ever happen to me.

I'm a damn fool, aren't I?

"Scott?" Joli's voice startles me from my thoughts. "Thank you for talking to me for a little bit. I'm going to go smoke and try and figure all of this out."

"You sure? If you want to keep talking, we can." I can't tell her that I need to talk to her more, for my own sake. "If you need a smoke though, I won't hold you."

"I love you, Scott." Goddammit, there goes my heart again, beating like a fuckin' drum for Jolene. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks when I return to Nitro, all right?" I want to tell her that I'd planned on coming by to see her this week, but I don't. Instead, I just smile sadly to myself and say something else.

"I'll see you then, babe. I love you. Enjoy your cigarette."

"Or ten." Joli jokes before letting out a small chuckle. "See ya."

"Later."

As I sit my phone back down on my nightstand, I can't help but laugh to myself. Oh, isn't this just great? I want to say that I did everything I could to win her over, but I know I didn't. I love Jolene Milford with all of my heart and soul but when the moment came to prove that, I fuckin' froze. I panicked.

Fuck, I can't feel sorry for myself right now. I don't have time to sit in a puddle of self-pity.

I turn my television off before heading into my bathroom and walking over to my sink. I turn the faucet on and bend over my sink, so that I can splash some water onto my face. I run my hands along my cheeks and my forehead and my chin and my eyes, so that I can wake myself up and get a damn grip.

I crack a grin at myself as I stare into my mirror: I'm a good, handsome man; I'm a nice, caring father; I'm one hell of a catch! Things with Joli will be just fine.

After I turn off the sink, I wipe my hands on a nearby towel and head towards my kitchen. Might as well get started on that breakfast, right? It shouldn't be long at all until Cody gets up. I start working on our food as soon as I get into the room.

I hate the uncertainty in the way I feel and the doubt that clouds my mind, but for today, I'm going to act as though I'm perfectly fine. I'll be okay.

"Dad? Good mornin'." I turn around once Cody's sleepy voice reaches my ears. He's rubbing his face as he tries to wake himself up more, and he just barely drags himself over to kitchen table. Cody's arms instantly fold over the table and he rests his chin upon them.

"Hey! Mornin', Codster." I greet him with a grin. I check the food real quick, and after determining that nothing will catch fire if I leave it alone for a few seconds, I walk over to my boy. I ruffle Cody's hair and happily kiss his cheek. "Breakfast will be done in just a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay." Cody mutters, his sleepy gaze following me back over to the stove.

I'm blessed, with this little guy in my life. Regardless of what happens over in Michigan, today is going to be a damn good day for me, because I get to spend it with my boy.

I just pray that Cody and I both actually do have as good of a day as I hope.

Chapter 25: follow your heart

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

As soon as Scott and I get off the phone, I grab my cigarettes and my lighter from the kitchen table and head outside. Kev's got such a big back porch; it's really nice. My ash tray is still out here from last night, right where I left it. I pop a cigarette into my mouth as soon as I step outside and light it soon after.

My nerves are completely shot and I'm not sure if being here alone is helping or hurting them. I thought this would be a lot easier -figuring out my feeling, that is- once I had talked to both Scott and Kevin, but it's not. It's harder than ever, actually.

I have so much history with both of them and I love them both so dearly. It was Scott that stole my heart first, but then again, I met him several months before I met Kev. And Kev... God, we've spent so much time together over the years. That's not to say that I haven't spent a shitload of time with Scott, but work-wise, Kev and I have spent far more time together.

Oh, fuck this. I want to make a decision. I want to end all of the trouble and the confusion.

I look over Kev's yard as I smoke, enjoying the nice change of scenery; I mean, anything aside from my home and yard is drastically different from what I've known for the past few months. I like Kev's place. It's nice.

It doesn't take me all that long to finish my first cigarette. It does calm me down quite a bit, but I light another one up almost as soon as I put the first one out. I have to wonder, how much longer will Kev be gone? I guess it all depends on how far he went to get everything. He said he wouldn't be out very long, and I know Scott and I talked for quite a while.

What do I want? Who do I want? Those are answers I have to find for myself, but I wish that wasn't the case. I want to call Kim and talk to her, but I know that won't help. She can't help me figure out the way I feel.

I've nearly finished my second cigarette when I hear Kev pull up on the other side of the house. I put my cigarette out and leave it on the ash tray for later as I exhale a large cloud and stand up. God, I've never been this damn nervous to see Kev.

Maybe my nerves are actually trying to tell me something for once...?

"Get everything we need?" I ask with a smile as I meet Kev in his living room.

"Yep. We'll be set out on the lake, and your pale ass won't burn, either. You've never really been one to tan, so I figured it'd be a good idea to get you some sunscreen." Kev laughs as he tosses the plastic bottle over to me; I easily catch it. However, as usual, Kev sees through my shit. "You okay?"

I sigh and sit the sunscreen down on the coffee table. "I talked to Scott, because I thought that would shine some light on what I want in life. I think I'm starting to figure everything out."

"Is that good or bad for me?" Kev raises a brow.

"That's yet to be determined." I reply with a playful grin, which Kev returns.

"You've just got to follow your heart, Joli." He chuckles and then motions towards his bedroom. "Come on, let's go get dressed and head on out to the lake."

"Sounds good to me."

We grab our clothes in Kev's room and while he changes in his bedroom, I head onto the bathroom. As I slide on the black sports bra I'm going to be wearing, I let out a small, content sigh. This is going to be a good day. I fix my shorts and my sneakers before combing my hair and walking out of the bathroom.

I find Kev out in the yard, strapping a small cooler onto the back of his four wheeler. I whistle at him to get his attention.

"Lock the door behind you and get on out here!" Kev grins. "It's fuckin' hot!"

"Just give me a minute!" I tell him. I run back into the house and shove my cigarettes and my lighter into my pocket before joining him outside. I make sure to lock the door on my way out.

"It shouldn't take us too long to get there. Here, keep the bag on your back." Kev hands me a backpack and I slide it on. "Excited?"

"Of course I am." I jump on the back of the four wheeler and wrap my arms around Kev. I like this. I like this a lot. "I love water."

"So you won't be too upset if I just toss you in?" Kev jokes as he starts to drive us off. "I'll keep that in mind!"

When we get to the lake, I can't help but smile. It's in a big, beautiful little area that's off to itself; it's the kind of place that should have tons of people swarming it, but it looks like it's just me and Kev here today. There are already a few beach chairs set up, and as Kev gets the cooler, I walk over to them. I open up the bag and grab the sunscreen, then sit the bag on one of the chairs.

"This is a great little spot. Like damn, it's pretty." I comment as I pop open the bottle.

"It really is. There are a few of us that always come out here, but it's rare that we show up at the same time. It's just me and a bunch of my neighbors, you know? I've gotten a lot of free booze here over the years." Kev chuckles. He sits the cooler down and then turns to me. "Need any help?"

"I'd like to say 'no,' but I can't really reach my back too well." I hand the sunscreen to Kev. He gives me a smirk and motions for me to turn around; I do.

I try to act like his touch doesn't make me shiver, but it does. The way Kev's hands feel sliding over my lower back sends chills down my spine. Once he's covered my back, he gently pushes my head down with his elbow; I move my short hair out of the way the best that I can so that he can get my neck.

"Need me to get the rest of you, too?" Kev whispers deviously in my ear. I shake my head and turn around, snatching the bottle of sunscreen out of his hand. I smirk up at Kev and he grins. "You sure? I could work it into your shoulders, your legs..."

"Positive." I reply jokingly. Kev sends me a wink before walking over to the cooler. While I finish applying my sunscreen, Kev grabs us a couple of bottles of water.

"All right, so, do you want to get in the water, or do you want to just sit around for a while? We can build a fire later, do some cool shit." He cracks open one of the bottles and takes a drink before offering one to me. I twist the lid off and take a long drink, then I sit my bottle down in one of the chairs.

"It doesn't matter to me." I smile and take my cigarettes and lighter out of my pocket, sitting them beside of my water. "If you want to swim, I'm down for it. I just need to take my shoes off, and-"

"Or, you can just go as you are!" Kev cuts me off as he lifts me into his arms. I squeak as he quickly carries me over to the edge of the water and tosses me in.

It takes me a moment to come back up from under the water, but once I do, I gasp and wipe my hair out of my face. Kev's wearing this mischievous little grin; I glare at him.

"Kev! What the fuck?! My shoes are soaked!" I make my way towards the shore with a frown. I can feel the aggravating way that my socks and shoes slosh as I walk. It's at this moment I realize my ankle didn't hurt at all when I smacked the water; I guess I really am back to normal.

"Ah, they'll be all right. Just sit 'em on the back of the four wheeler and they'll be dry in no time!"

"You do it!" I take my shoes off and chuck them at Kev, who merely laughs and catches them. One of my socks manages to smack the side of his head, though, and I'm quite proud of that. "Get your ass out here. Might as well swim while I'm already wet." The moment the last word comes from my mouth, I know what kind of reply I'll get.

"Oh come on, you're always wet around me." Kev laughs before he walks over to the four wheeler, placing my shoes and socks on the back of it.

"You know it, babe!" I blow him a playful kiss. Kev shakes his heads and walks over to the chairs. He takes off his muscle tee and shoes, leaving him in only his swim shorts. Holy fuck, I'll never not be mesmerized by hot Kev is.

I jump on Kev's back as soon as he gets near me, and with a laugh, he charges into the water. I feel like everything is in slow motion right now, like nothing else matters aside from this moment. This is absolutely perfect.

Kev and I swim and goof around for the majority of the day. When we get out of the water, we just lay around on the beach chairs, chatting up a storm. I apply a couple of more coats of sunscreen throughout the day, but I'm still afraid that I'm going to burn. I wouldn't mind a small little tan, but a sunburn is not something I want to deal with. Later on in the night, Kev builds a little fire and we sit across from each other by it; we've both drained half of our bottles of beer.

As I take a long drag on my cigarette and listen to Kev ramble on about his schedule this week, it's as if something clicks in my mind. I lean forward in my seat, holding my beer between my legs.

I love this. I love Kevin Nash.

I'm sorry, Scott, but I've got to give something a chance. I could be painfully wrong with what I'm about to do, but I'll never know if I don't take some sort of risk.

"-Joli? Babe? You okay over there?" I look up and see Kev looking at me with a look of both confusion and concern.

"Kev, I think I'm ready to follow my heart." I blurt out before taking another drag on my cigarette. Kev's visibly startled, and there's such a worried look on his handsome face.

"You are? Are you sure about that?" Kev clears his throat. "You don't have to make any choices right now, but whatever you-"

"I'm not ready to date, not yet. But," I inhale and then exhale a large cloud of smoke. Damn, this shouldn't be nerve-wracking. "I want to warm up to it. I can't just jump right back into something like that, no matter how much I wish I could."

"I don't doubt that. I'm sure you've been through some shit." Kev gives me this serious, sympathetic look. My heart feels as though it's beating out of my chest.

"Would you be willing to help me?" It sounds like such a pathetic question, I know. "I'd love to be with you, Kev, but I'm just..."

"Jolene, I will wait for you as long as it takes. I'll help you out every step along the way." Kev smiles so brightly at me. "Whatever you need, I'll provide."

I put my cigarette out in the water bottle by my feet before sitting my beer beside of it.

"I don't deserve someone as considerate and patient as you. Really, I don't." I tell Kev truthfully. I'm wearing this big, goofy grin, but I can't help it. "You're such a good person, Kev. I love you. I... I love you so much."

Kev takes a small drink of his beer before sitting it down and standing up. He walks over to me and pulls me up by my hands; I'm giggling all the while. One of Kev's hands tilts my chin up so that he can look down directly at me.

"I love you, too, Joli." I can tell he wants to say something more, like there are so many questions he just can't bring himself to ask. I know that "What about Scott?" is on the tip of his tongue, but Kev doesn't say another word; he merely leans down and presses his lips against mine.

For the first time in over seven years, I find my heart feeling full of happiness and hope. This kiss is different, but it's familiar all the same. Everything about this just seems right.

Maybe, just maybe, I can make this whole love thing work.

Chapter 26: this wild life

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

I hate this feeling of unease that washes over me as Scott and I walk into this little bar after Nitro. Things have been so weird today and I hate it. We met up at the arena earlier, like we had planned, but it's just been so strange. All damn day we've been together, pretty much, from noon on; we hung out together backstage as usual, we got a room after the show, and we headed over here. Everything is off, though. Scott and I have barely talked at all today.

It's as if he knows what happened between me and Joli, and he's trying to avoid it altogether. I haven't mentioned anything to him yet, and I know she hasn't said anything. Joli's too afraid to, so I'm stuck doing it.

I don't want to hurt Scott either, but I guess it's better me than her.

We're on our way to the back when some older dude - he's probably in his late fifties - waves at us and gets our attention. He's just sitting at the counter, a cup of what appears to be scotch in his hand.

"Hey, I know you guys! You're Hall and Nash, right? From that wrestling thing?" He chuckles.

"That's us." Scott forces a grin for the guy. We both throw up a too sweet to the man, and he nods contently back at us.

"Hey, go on back and get us a seat." I tell Scott. "I'll get the drinks."

Scott looks like he wants to fight me on that for a moment, but he ends up just heading on back. I can't help but sigh; I watch him walk away for a second before approaching the counter. I give our orders to the bartender as soon as I make eye contact with the guy.

"Having some trouble?" The older man asks as the bartender pours mine and Scott's drinks. I raise an eyebrow in response. "You and your friend there. You look like you're not on as good of terms as you should be."

"It's complicated." I mutter, watching as our drinks are made. I really don't want to give this man my life story.

"Fair enough. I've had my fair share of fights with my best friend over the years." The man laughs before taking a drink. "I'll leave you be. Whatever it is, I hope you two settle it soon."

"Me too." I whisper as the bartender finishes filling up mine and Scott's glasses. I nod in farewell to the older man as I go to leave with our drinks, but he's not paying any attention to me anymore. Whatever.

I sit Scott's cup down on the table and slide it over to him once I find him in the back. He gives me this fake little smile before picking his drink up and downing half of the damn thing. I have to stop myself from sighing once more as I take a seat across from Scott.

It honestly does kill me to see Scott like this. I wish there was something more I could do to help him, but the only thing I can think of to do is tell him the truth. He's not mentioned Joli today, but I know she's what this is all about.

There's no real reason to put this off any longer, is there?

"Scott?" He looks up when I call his name, and the look on his face makes this harder than it already was. "You know I fuckin' love you, don't you, man?"

"You don't have to try and sugarcoat anything for me, big guy. I know what you're going to say." Scott lets out this sad little laugh. "I could tell by the look on your damn face this morning that you and Joli are together; you just didn't know how to tell me."

Fuck, it wasn't that obvious, was it?

"We're not officially together, man. It's like a starter run; she wants something more, but she's not ready. We were sitting around the fire and she just sprang it on me." It's relieving to get this off my chest, but I wish I didn't see this damn hurt look in Scott's eyes.

"I'm happy for the two of you, man. I am. I know you'll treat her right, and really, if I'm not what she wants, I'm glad you are." Scott smiles before quickly chugging down the remainder of his drink. As he sits the empty glass back down on the table, he sighs heavily. "Damn, the booze is good here. We made a good choice."

Scott's trying to just go on as if nothing happened, and that's fine. If he wants to change the subject, I'll go with it. I just hate the way that he's trying to act as though he's not the least bit fazed, because I know he is. Scott's heartbroken, but what can I do? I can't lie and say I'm not fuckin' ecstatic that I'm the one Joli chose, but I hope he understands how much we both care for him.

I take a drink out of my own glass before I reply to Scott. "You're right. It's some damn good shit."

"It is." Scott flags down one of the workers and orders far more booze than he probably should, but I'm not going to stop him. It's not a horrible amount, and I've certainly seen him drink more over the years. We sit in silence until the drinks arrive; Scott takes one more big gulp of alcohol before speaking again. "How excited is Joli to come back next week?"

I guess he does want to keep the conversation about her. All right.

"She's so happy, she's out of her damn mind. She'd have come with me today if Eric would've let her. But, you know how he is; he's stuck by the fact that he doesn't want her showing up until the night she makes her television return." Which is damn stupid, but what can we do? I actually had to talk Joli out of sneaking here with me anyway. It wouldn't have been good for her to cause a scene right before her return, and deep down, she knew that.

"It's going to be nice to have all of us back together. I've missed that." Me too, Scott. "She's still walking Kid out, isn't she?"

"Yep." That's been the plan, and it hasn't changed. Eric talked to us about it earlier, but I'm not going to say anything about that to Scott. He obviously wasn't paying much attention. "We've got make it a big deal, you know?"

I hope that everything goes well for my little babe's return, I really do. She deserves to have the entire fuckin' crowd on their feet, losing their goddamn minds at the sight of her. Kid is excited and he feels blessed to be the one of us that gets her as a manager on her first night back. Far as I know, Scott and I don't even have matches next week. We're just there for segments.

I wish Kid was here right now, and not on his way home. This whole conversation with Scott has left me feeling more awkward about this all than I should.

"Damn right we do. Our trio will be back together!" Scott holds one of his glasses up towards me, and I clank mine against his. We exchange grins before chugging down our drinks.

We both sit out empty glasses down, and as Scott shakes his head from the buzz, I can tell he's feeling a bit more agitated than before. Oh, fuck, come on. It's not an abruptly obvious change, but I know Scott all-too-well.

"You care if I have some of this?" I ask, referring to the several full cups of booze Scott had ordered. He shakes his head, sending me this coy little smirk. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, man. You're buying the next round, though."

I know it's not good for Scott to drink too much, not now, when he's in such a state. But, if I call him out on it, it's not going to end well. He doesn't even need to try and hide his feelings with alcohol.

We sit around and drink for quite a while in this little bar. Scott and I talk about work a lot, and even though he keeps trying to act like he's not hurt, he is. I wish he'd just talk to me about all of this instead of just bottling it all up. Then again, the more he drinks, the more irritable he becomes.

"Hey man, I think we've had enough for tonight." I eventually speak up as Scott goes to raise his hand once more. I'm only slightly buzzed, and the seat beside of me is filled with full glasses that I moved out of Scott's reach.

I've honestly barely had anything at all to drink.

When Scott turns to look at me, his eyes narrow just a bit. "Have we? I thought we were just getting started." His words are slurred, but I understand him very well.

"No point in going over what we can handle here, man. If you want to drink more at the hotel, sure, that's fine, but we should probably head back." Scott's not at the point that he's out of his mind drunk; he's still mainly aware of his actions, even though it's far easier to piss him off right now.

"I don't know, I'm having a good time here. If you want to go on back and call Joli, go right ahead. I'll meet you there when I'm done." I roll my eyes at the bitter way he says her name. "What, don't you want to go see her? Or at the very least, talk to her?"

"Relax, Scott. I'm just trying to get us back to the hotel. We've drank a lot tonight." I keep my voice cool and calm, even though it's difficult. Scott, you're so much fuckin' better than this.

"I don't think I've had enough. In fact, I think I could go for a hell of a lot more." Scott says smugly. "It's not like I've got anyone to worry about. It's not like I've got any commitments." Normally, this is the kind of shit he'd say in a sadder tone; now, he's just trying to be a prick. Great.

"Dude, just shut up. Don't you understand how ridiculous you sound right?"

"I think I'm completely justified in everything I'm saying. If I want to get plastered off my ass, I don't have anything to worry about. If I want to go bang all the bitches in the fuckin' city, I can. I'm free to do whatever I damn well please!" Scott laughs and downs another cup's worth of booze. "I understand that this wild life isn't for you anymore. You're settling down now. You've got a girlfriend, and a damn good one at that. I wouldn't want to fuck it up if I were you, either. But here's the thing; I'm not you, so I don't have to worry."

"You're right; you're a grown man and I can't stop you from doing anything at all. But, I am your friend, and I think it would be better if we just go on back to the hotel now." I grit my teeth as Scott begins to glare at me. Come on, man.

"You can think whatever the fuck you want, that doesn't mean I'm going to listen to you."

"Scott, please, just-"

"No! I'm not doing a damn thing you want me to. I'm staying here, and I'm drinking as much as I fuckin' please. You're welcome to leave; in fact, I'd rather you did!" I've not seen him this riled up in a long time, especially not at me.

"I'm trying to help you, brother. Can't you see that?" It's getting harder for me to keep my voice level. I want to scream and yell at Scott, but I know that won't help anything. He's not thinking straight!

"I don't need your help, or you fuckin' pity!" Scott slams a hand on the table, making it rattle. By this point, several other people in the bar have turned around to look at us. I let out a sigh. "Just leave, Kev."

"Come with me. There's no reason to make a scene." I speak in a quieter tone as I lean towards Scott. The scowl he gains makes me realize it's useless to argue with him; he's just going to do whatever he wants right now, anyway.

"Go back to the hotel." Scott actually fuckin' shoves me back across the table. "Get your own room."

"Gladly!" I shake my head as I stand up. "I'm taking the rental. Make sure you get a damn cab."

"I'm sure they'd be a lot nicer to me."

"Come find me once you get your head back on straight." I sigh. "Take care of yourself, Scott!" He doesn't reply. He just glares in my direction as I walk off.

On my way out of the bar, I notice the same older man from earlier. I walk past him at first, but after a quick moment of consideration, I walk back over to him.

"Keep an eye on my friend for me, if you don't care. He's in a mood tonight." I hate to ask, and I know that this man could very easily lie to me, but I need something to put my mind to rest.

"I'll watch him." The man replies simply.

"Thanks."

I glance back at towards where Scott is sitting for just a moment before making my way out of the bar. I really don't want to go, but it's pointless for me to stay. Scott's angry, but he'll be all right; I know he will be. He's just heartbroken.

I guess he was right to some degree, though. The wild life that we used to live isn't for me anymore. I'm still the same man that I've always been, but I've got more on the line now. Joli and I may not be officially together, but we're as close to that as we can possibly be.

Things are changing around here, for better and worse. I wish I could just go get a hotel room and find Joli there, waiting on me with open arms. I feel fuckin' horrible about arguing with Scott and leaving him there.

Oh well. Fuck it. I'm just going to go back to the hotel and get some sleep.

Chapter 27: forgive me

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

As soon as I open my eyes, I feel a sharp pain cut through my heart. My head is fuckin' pounding, but it's nothing compared to the overwhelming guilt that is tearing a hole through my chest. I can't believe I actually treated Kev so poorly last night. I can't believe I got so fuckin' mad at him.

I'm the biggest asshole on this planet.

I'm going to apologize as many times as I can for it, but I don't deserve his forgiveness. There was no reason for me to be as rude as I was; I certainly could have been a lot nicer.

I'm such a damn fool for letting my emotions get in the way and dictate my actions. If there's one person in my life that has been there for me through fuckin' thick and thin, it's Kevin Nash; regardless of that, what did I do last night? I yelled at him and pushed him away both physically and emotionally.

With a groan, I roll onto my back, so that I can stare up at the plain ceiling in my room. I barely remember getting back here last night, in all honesty. I drank more than I should've, and I knew that at the time; I just felt so damn bad that I didn't care.

Man, I wish I wasn't so damn selfish. No wonder Joli chose Kev.

I shouldn't be so harsh about that. I love Kev dearly and he's going to be good for Joli. She's got such a damaged heart and she needs someone to carefully take down those walls that she built to protect herself. I really do wish that I could've been able to help her, that I would've gotten the chance to show her how much I care for her.

I guess it just wasn't meant to be. It's a fuckin' tough pill to swallow, but that's how it is.

Today, I just don't know where to start. Should I try to go find Kev? I don't have any idea where he's at. I guess he's probably somewhere in the hotel, if he hasn't left yet. There are so many damn rooms in this place, though, it'd be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

I could try and call Joli and talk to her, but honestly, I don't think that's a good idea. Kev probably called her last night and she's probably pissed at me right now. I don't blame her if she is; I'm pissed at me, too. I fucked up.

It'd be so nice to hear her voice and have her calm me down, though. Joli's just got such a way with words. I've always tried so hard to be upbeat around her and act like nothing ever phases me, but she sees past that. I've become so goddamn spoiled by her kindness and her love. She truly is the greatest woman in the world.

Fuck, this hurts. I love you, Joli. I should've done so much more to let you know that. I should've been taking every fuckin' opportunity I could to prove what you meant to me. I should've been what you needed.

Looking back, I really shouldn't be all that surprised that Joli and Kev are together. I know it's nothing official, not yet, but they're basically a damn couple. The only thing coming between them is Joli's uncertainties, and once she's conquered those, they'll be full-swing into their relationship.

I wonder if they'll get married down the line? Will they have any kids?

I want to be completely happy for them, I really do; it's just so hard when I keep feeling this pain in my chest. I've got to shake this. They deserve better than that.

Since the first day Kev and I got back in WCW, he and Joli have been closer than ever. I should have known back then that I didn't have a chance with her, but I got my hopes up, anyway. The signs of their blooming romance have been there as far back as I can remember, but it's only now that I'm truly realizing that.

When I left for the WWF, I knew I should've done more to come back and see them, to see her. Kev had so much more time with Joli than I did; I could've done more. I knew then that I should've done more. I saw her every chance I got and I called her frequently, but I hadn't fuckin' grown up then.

I didn't even want to think about a serious relationship then, but I've always known that's what I'd have with Joli. She's so bloody perfect. I tried to deny the way I felt about her for so fuckin' long, and because of that, I distanced myself from her a bit. We've always been close and we always will be.

But, once she and Kev started to bond, I took a step back. I got scared; I've already fucked up a marriage, and it took a lot for me to want something like that again. I was so afraid of getting serious that I didn't think about the scariest thing of all.

Losing her.

I don't want to say that I regret anything, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't regret not doing more for Joli. I spent too much time fuckin' around and not putting her first. I really am so damn selfish. Kev always prioritized Joli, regardless of what else what going on. He's helped her so much, and really, what have I done?

Oh, right. I'm the reason she's not even here right now. I'm the reason she's been home for the past few months. Even then, Kev was always the one that double-checked to make sure she was okay. My weak ass could barely stand calling her, unless I knew she wasn't in pain.

"Fuck!" I can't help but laugh as I run a hand across my face. My stubble scratches at my palm as I do so.

I don't know what to do right now. I want to run, I want to scream, I want to hide... I also really just want to get things back to the way they were.

Hopefully, things will settle back to normal next week when Joli returns. It's going to be rough for me to see Joli and Kev together, but really, will they be behaving all that differently than before? Even before last weekend, they'd act like a damn couple, anyway.

You know, maybe this won't be so bad after all. As long as they're happy, I'll force a fuckin' grin onto my face. I've got to stop feeling so damn sorry for myself. If I don't get my act together, and soon, I'm going to get my ass into a much worse place.

That's the last thing I want right now. My life is good. My life is fuckin' great, actually. I have Cody. I have Joli. I have Kev. I have Kid. I have Shawn. I have Paul. My job is crazy sometimes, but it's still pretty damn nice for the most part. I have all the money I could ever need. I am in a good place.

Even if I never find love, that'll be okay. I've got my son, my best friends, and my job. Everything will be all right.

I've got to apologize to Kev. I can't keep putting this off.

I smack my cheeks a couple of times before getting up and out of my bed. A shower will be good for me right now. I grab some boxers, jeans, and a plain black tee before heading into the bathroom. After a quick shower, I get dressed and head back over to my bed.

Where should I start looking for Kev? I try to come up with some sort of plan as I slip on my socks and shoes. I'll check his room, but if he's not there, I don't know what I'll do. As far as I know, he's heading back to Norfolk today to go see Joli.

He told me his plans at lunch yesterday, but I purposely didn't pay much attention to him. I didn't want to know that they were going to be together. Shit, I'm the fuckin' worst.

I look over at the clock and check the time; it's almost noon, so it's basically time to check out of the hotel. God, I hope I can catch him before he leaves.

I quickly shove all of my shit back into my bags, once I've got my shoes on. After I do a quick sweep of the room to make sure that I haven't forgotten anything, I rush to the door. I slip on a note that's near my door and almost fall on my way out.

I pick the note up and as soon as I read it, my heart shatters.

Hey. I'm in 327 if you wanna talk. Hope you're okay this morning. Catch you later.
-Nash

Fuck, I don't deserve you, Kev. I don't deserve you at all. I shove the note into my pocket and then dart out of my room. God, I hope I'm not too late.

I'm on the first floor, and to save time, I just run up the nearby stairs. I tightly grip onto my bags as I run, trying to make sure that I don't bump into anyone on my way. I nearly swing right into a young couple as I near Kev's room, and I shout a quick "Sorry!" to them as I run.

When I reach room 327, I stop in front of it and take a deep breath. Please, don't let me be too late. I sit my bags on the floor before I knock on the door.

I wait a few moments. No response.

I knock again. Still, no response. I knock again, and again, and again, but no one ever comes.

"Kev? You in there, man?" I frown, resting one of my hands on the door. "I'm sorry."

Once more, I'm met with silence. I missed him.

I slam my fist against the door once more in what could be confused as a knock before shaking my head and pulling back. This sucks so damn much. I grab my bags and start walking over to the elevator.

Do I call him later, or do I just wait until I see him again? It's possible that I don't see him until Monday, when Joli returns. I probably need to talk to him before then.

No, I definitely do.

Begrudgingly, I begin walking over to the elevator. Once I'm inside of it, I drop my bags and wipe off the small bit of sweat that had begun to accumulate on my forehead. Shit. I should've gotten up earlier. I shouldn't have just sat around for so long.

The elevator reaches the main floor of the hotel and once I'm out of the building, I flag down a cab. I toss my bags into the backseat before sliding in after them. The driver starts heading off towards the airport, and as I sit there, I lean against the door.

I'm glad that the guy isn't trying to start a conversation with me, because I honestly don't feel like talking. I just want to go home and apologize to my best friend.

I sit back up for a moment and reach my hand into my pocket, so that I can pull out the note that Kev left me. I read it once more, and as my eyes scan the paper, I can't stop myself from feeling like absolute shit.

I'll find some sort of way to make it up to Kev, and if don't, I'm not sure what I'll do.

This next week, I'm going to have to spend a lot of time figuring myself out. I have to get my priorities in line and fix my attitude; otherwise, I'll just make everything worse.

Kev, I hope you can forgive me, big guy. I know I really fucked up this time.

Chapter 28: quite frankly

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

As I walk into the arena for Nitro, I inhale a deep breath of crisp, emotionally intoxicating air. This building isn't any different from the countless ones that I've been in over the course of my profession wrestling career, but tonight is so fuckin' special. I know I must look like a damn fool, smiling the way that I am, but I can't help it!

Jolene Milford is back at World Championship Wrestling!

"You look like you can barely control yourself over there." Kev jokes as he wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to his side. "You're finally back, babe!"

"I didn't expect to be as floored as I am. This is just... It's great." My heart is throbbing so damn quickly, but in a good way. I'm so fucking happy.

"It really is. Everything is the way it should be again." Kev gives me a one-armed hug before dropping his arm from around me. As soon as his touch is gone, I miss it.

I look up at Kev and give him a quick smile as we walk, something that he returns. These past few days as I've prepared for my return, Kev has helped me so very much. God, I love this man.

We head to the backstage area, and after dropping our bags off in the locker room, Kev and I hunt down Eric. He's standing off to one of the sides, talking to Hulk. Eric spots Kev and I first, and once he lays eyes on us, he claps and waves us over.

"I'll talk to you later, brother. I'll give you three some space." Hulk nods to Eric, and then to Kev and I. "It's good to see you back, Jolene."

"Thanks, Hulkster." I wave to Hulk as he walks off. He's a good guy, deep down. I mean, we rarely talk, but I'm glad he likes me enough.

"It is nice to see you back here, Jolene! It's been too long, hasn't it?" Eric grins as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Welcome back!"

"I'd have been back several weeks ago if you'd have let me." I point out, trying to not sound too bitter about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely thrilled to be back tonight! I just wish that I had been able to come back earlier. "But, it's great to be here. I'm glad I'm back."

"Well, you know we have big plans for you. You're an important piece of our New World Order puzzle." Eric's eyes quickly scan over me, but as soon as Kev clears his throat, Eric goes back to acting as if nothing had happened. Asswipe. "When will Sean and Scott be here?"

"Don't know. We tried calling Scott last night, but he didn't answer. As for the Kid, he said he'd be here before noon; unless we missed him, he's not here yet." Kev replies. We all three look over to a nearby clock on the wall. It's after two.

"They'd better show up before too much longer. If they don't, we're going to have come up with a different for plan tonight." Eric warns. "You may be taking Sean's match tonight, Kevin. If he no-shows, it's yours. Your pre-match and post-match segments will be the same, but without the two of them."

"They'll show up." I tell Eric crossly. "Why would they miss tonight?"

"I don't know. I would've thought that tonight would be one of the most important ones to them, but we never know what's going on in those two's heads." The way Eric says that makes me sick. He fuckin' knows that they've not got the best mental track record, and he wants to say shit like that? I instantly tense up, but Kev places a hand on my hand on my back and begins to rub it. I relax under his touch. "Come talk to me an hour before air and we'll settle it all. I have things to attend to right now, okay?"

"Have fun." I try to keep the venom out of my voice. The smile Eric gives me churns my stomach.

"I'll see the two of you later. Again, welcome back, Jolene!"

I wait until Eric's gone to fake gag and spit out air. Kev gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before we turn to face one another. One look at him proves that he's as aggravated by Eric as I am.

"Is it wrong for me to want to punch him square in the mouth? Without holding anything back?" I ask with a tart laugh. "I mean, I doubt I could do too much damage to him, but I'm sure it'd be enough to knock that damn smug look off of his face."

"I won't stop you, if that's what you really want to do." Kev chuckles before wrapping his arms around and me and pulling me close to his chest. I snake my arms around his waist with a smile. He places a soft kiss on the top of my head before commenting, "I'm so fuckin' glad you're back, Joli."

"I'm glad I'm back too, Kev."

We stand there for a moment, just enjoying being in each other's hold. When Kev drops his arms from around me, I do the same. I see him grin before he nudges for me to turn around.

Dallas and Kimberly are standing several feet away, obviously just waiting for me to notice them. I giggle as I look between them; Dally opens his arms wide and I don't hesitate to run and jump into them.

"There you are!" He laughs. "We wondered when you two were going to get here."

I give my big brother a hug before doing the same to Kim. Honestly, why should I even worry about that Shitwad Bischoff when Dallas and Kim make me feel so damn welcome?

"It's so nice to see you back, Joli. We've all missed you so much!" Kim's smile is so bright that I almost need my sunglasses. This is so great.

"I missed this like hell. I can't explain how wonderful I felt when we walked in. I'm glad I'm here."

"Welcome back, sis." Dallas ruffles my hair. I bump his side with my elbow.

"I guess it's a good thing that I had to fix my hair anyway." I joke, making Dallas laugh.

"Ah, you'll be fine." Dallas places his hands on his hips. "Where's Scott?"

"Your guess is as good as ours." Kev shrugs as he walks closer to us. He places a hand on my shoulder as we all talk. "We've not heard from him all day."

"What about Sean?" Kim asks with a frown.

"No sign of him, either." I try not to sound too heartbroken about it, but based on the looks Dally and Kim give me, I don't do a good job at that. Kev rubs my shoulder, trying to provide some sort of comfort.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon, Joli." Kim's trying her best to convince me of that. I hope she's right.

"If they're not, I'll kick their asses. There are two of them, so that's one for me, and one for you." Dallas points between Kev and himself a couple of times. "Because I know you'll want to smack them around a couple of times, too. Unless they've got damn good reasons, they'd better not miss Joli's return."

"Oh, I definitely agree. If they're just gone to be gone, I'll be right there with you." Kev chuckles. "We'll kick their asses from here to the other side of this fuckin' country. But, I'm hoping they'll show before too long."

"They'd better." Dally scoffs and rolls his eyes. I know he's just being protective, but he's not really helping.

I let out a small sigh and Kim instantly grabs one of my hands. She gives me a smile, and as soon as I look into her eyes, I know what she's doing. Kimberly is goddamn blessing.

"Hey, let's go ahead and get ready for tonight! It's been forever since we did our hair and makeup together." Kim pulls me over to her side. "I'm sorry, Kev. I'd like to borrow her for a little bit."

"Go right ahead." Kev grins at her before looking over at me. "Have fun, babe. I'll meet back up with you later. Come find me once you girls are done, all right?"

"I will. I'll see you, Kev. Later, Dally!" I wink at Kev and wave to Dally.

"Enjoy yourselves, ladies!" Dallas kisses Kim's cheek.

"We'll see you two later." Kim chuckles before leading me away from our men. God, it's so weird, saying that I actually have someone. "All right, lets go get your clothes."

I grab my bag of clothes from the locker room and meet back up with Kim. I follow her to the female locker room, and once we're in there, we change into what we're wearing tonight.

Once I'm dressed, I walk over to a nearby mirror to look at myself. I smile as I look at my outfit, from the nWo logo across my chest on my cut t-shirt to my simple dark shorts. My wrists sport these badass black bracelets; they're spiked.

"Woah! Look at you over there. You're going to kill it tonight." Kim whistles as she walks over to me, a wide grin upon her face. "Kevin's a lucky guy."

"You think so?" I ask playfully. "I'm flattered."

"I know so. You're quite the catch, sister. I mean that. I'm glad that you're finally reaching out and giving love a chance." Kim's such a sweetheart. I give her a smile and motions for us to head on out. We both grab our hair/makeup bags and I follow her lead once more.

"It isn't easy to do, but I'm trying. Kev's the absolute best. He's so considerate and understanding. I love him, Kim." I look forward to the day that I'm strong enough to make my relationship with Kev official.

"You two are the perfect fit. I'm happy for you, Joli." Kim pokes my upper arm playfully. "You and Kev are really good together."

"I don't know if I really would've even entertained the thought of preparing for a relationship if it weren't for you." I admit, bumping Kim with my elbow. "You're great, Kimmy."

"I'm so glad you're back." Kim giggles. We walk into the big dressing room where all of us ladies go to fix our hair and makeup. There are several different stylists and makeup artists here, but Kim and I have never bothered with them. We either take care of ourselves or each other.

We walk over to one of the big counters and sit down our bags. There aren't many other people in here at the moment, where we've still got a bit of time before Nitro starts. I can't stop myself from feeling so damn excited as I get out my makeup, my hairbrushes, and my straightener.

This is just such a natural routine for me. It's been so long since Kim and I did this together, but it feels like the last time was only yesterday. Wow. I love my job.

"I hope Kid and Scott show up." I comment as I plug in my straightener. While it heats up, I begin working on my makeup. I occasionally glance over at Kim as we both prepare ourselves.

"I wouldn't give up on them just yet, Joli. They've still got time." Kim's trying her best to reassure me, but I don't believe even she buys that idea.

"But what if they don't show up? Bischoff will throw a fit. I don't want them to get in trouble." I frown for just a moment.

"Scott, at least, won't get in too much trouble." Kim wants to add something about them missing my return, I know she does. She just doesn't want to upset me anymore. "Have they got a backup plan?"

"Yep. If they no-show, it's me and Kev. He'll be taking Kid's match, and instead of the four of us meeting up backstage, it'll just be me and Kev. I'll still cut the same promo and everything post-match."

In all honesty, I can't help but wonder, will my return have the same kind of impact if there are just two of us? I'm sure the crowd will be happy to see me -at least, I hope so- but wouldn't they lose their shit to see Hall, Nash, Syxx, and Jolene together again? I hope this doesn't end up being a damn dud.

"You'll kill it, regardless of how many members of the nWo are with you. Trust me, everyone will just be happy to see you back on camera." Kim says in a matter-of-fact tone. I carefully apply my mascara before laughing.

"Thank you. I'd seriously be lost without you, girly." I mean that. Kim's wonderful.

We finish applying our makeup and then we work on our hair. Kim straightens my hair, simply because she wants to. I completely enjoy all of my time getting ready with Kim, don't get me wrong, but I can't shake this doubt that Scott and Kid will show up. Surely, they'll be here.

"Oh, shoot!" Kim exclaims as we pack up our makeup and our hair supplies. "I told Page we'd catch a bite at catering before the show." She looks over at a nearby clock and shakes her head before giving me a sympathetic look. "Do you-"

"Go ahead. I've got to go find Kev, too." I cut Kim off with a smile. She thanks me, gives me a hug, and then scurries off. I zip up my bag and leave after she does.

I find Big Sexy standing near our locker room with a scowl upon his face. He has already changed out of his street clothes, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't make my heart skip a beat. I've missed seeing him in his gear in person. It's a nice sight. As soon as he spots me, Kev's expression softens. His eyes roam over my body and for the first time in a long time, that causes a blush to come onto my cheeks. Kev grins when I stand in front of him.

"Goddamn, girl! You look hot! I mean, you always do, but seeing you in your usual gear... I love it." Have I mentioned that I love this man? Because I do.

"You look pretty fuckin' good yourself." I smirk up at Kev. He fakes this flattered look of surprise and excitement.

"Really? I did something different with my hair today. I didn't think you'd notice." He reaches a hand back and unties his ponytail, then he holds the tie out for me to see. "My hair band is white today instead of black, like I normally use." Kev then pulls his hair back once more.

"... I'm the one that bought the pack of four for you this morning." I giggle.

"Huh. How about that?" Kev chuckles before reaching into his pockets and pulling out my cigarettes and my lighter. His expression changes to one of both frustration and uncertainty as he hands them to me. "You're going to want to go ahead and get one of those out."

"Why?" I'm already pulling a cigarette from my carton.

"Let's walk outside." Kev says casually. I frown and follow him. Thankfully, our locker room is close to one of the exits. I place my cigarette into my mouth as we walk out of the door. "You're either going to be really pissed, or really upset. I don't know which one." The moment Kev starts talking, I know where he's going.

I take my first puff of my smoke before I reply, "They're not coming, are they?"

"I've done everything I could to try and find their asses, but they're missing." My heart shatters as I take a long drag on my cigarette. "Eric has already officially changed the plans for tonight. Now, it's us backstage, a solo match between me and Stevie Ray, and then your promo." Kev sighs heavily, looking so sadly at me with his deep, dark eyes. "I'm sorry, babe."

I don't reply immediately, because I honestly don't know what to say. I'm hurt. I'm so fucking hurt. Last time I talked to Kid and Scott both, they were completely fine, so why aren't they here? I mean, yeah, okay, Scott and Kev had some problems last week. They got over that, or at least, I was under the impression that they had. Is Scott mad at Kev again? Or is he mad at me?

I don't know. I just don't fucking know.

"It's not your fault that they're not here. You'd drag them by their hair and make sure they showed up if you could find them. I'm just kind of aggravated that tonight is my first night back and they're not here." It stings more than Steve Borden.

"I'm ticked off, too. It's fuckin' ridiculous. The entire time that you were out, the three of us would spend each night on the road talking about how great it'd be to have you back. We wanted to make it such a great night for you, and now they're not even here." Kev shakes his head.

"Even if they're not here, I've still got Kim and Dally." I puff on my cigarette, then give Kev a smile. "Most importantly, I've got you." The hardened look of aggravation that Kev had been wearing instantly vanishes, replaced by this sweet, caring expression.

"Jolene, even if you didn't love me, you'd never be able to get rid of me." Kev tells me playfully. I put my cigarette into my mouth so that I can jokingly punch his chest.

"I'd never want to." Kev gives me the most charming smile I believe I've ever seen.

I'm so lucky to have him in my life. It seems as though each and every day, I begin to fall more and more in love with him. I wish I was ready to make our relationship official.

I finish my cigarette and then Kev and I head inside. We head on back to our locker room and sit around, just shootin' shit and killing time until our first segment. When Kev and I walk out to the part of the area where we're filming, I feel as though my heart will jump from my chest. I haven't been this excited for a segment since I first joined up with my boys.

Dammit Scott, where are you?

Kev and I stand across from each other, looking absolutely casual as we wait for our cue to start. There's this amused yet proud gleam in Kev's eyes and I love it. I love him. When they tell us to go, we do.

"All right! Damn, is it good to be back." I start off with a grin, cracking my knuckles. "It has been way too long since I've been here at this pitiful little show. Our New World Order has grown since February."

"Oh, you know it, Joli! We are the most dominate group around here, and WCW still hasn't been able to stop us. They will never be able to stop us. No one can." Kev laughs, placing one hand on his hip and the other on the tag title that rests on his shoulder. "We are unstoppable. Everyone thought you were long gone, but once again, we've proved them wrong."

"With. Out. A. Doubt." I then laugh as well. I shake my head with a sick little smile on my face. "Tonight is going to be so much fun. Tonight, I will be avenged as you destroy Stevie Ray in your match. I can't wait to see that little troll suffer in the way that I did. But, you see, I'm back and I'm fighting; after your match, Stevie Ray will never. Fight. Again."

"Welcome back, Jolene!" Kev grins and throws up a too sweet. I return the gesture, and after we too sweet one another, we laugh. "I hope he enjoys these last few minutes that he has before the match, because he certainly won't be having any fun afterwards."

"I don't think he ever has any fun with anyone. I mean, I certainly wouldn't be interested in having any fun with Stevie Ray." I smirk.

"Oh, Joli baby, no one is interested in that."

We both shake our heads and walk off camera, laughing and goofing around as we do so. As soon as we get the signal that we're no longer live, I jump into the air.

"Fuck, that was awesome!" I cheer while making sure that we're far enough away that nothing we say can be captured by the mics or cameras. "That felt great."

"You did great, babe." Kev smacks my ass with a smile. "Think you're ready for the crowd?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I'm actually ridiculously excited, but Kev knows that. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and leads us over to gorilla. Oh my God, I love the adrenaline that's running through my veins.

I lean against Kev and fidget with the hem of my shirt as we wait for Nitro to come back from commercial. Stevie Ray passes us as he goes to make his entrance; before he walks out, he sends me a smile.

I know you didn't mean to hurt me, my man. It's perfectly fine.

When the nWo theme hits, I want to scream. Kev nudges me with his elbow and then the two of us walk on out. As soon as I'm in sight for the crowd, they lose their fuckin' minds. Can I cry on camera? No, I can't, not now, not ever. But oh God, I want to. I want to bawl like a damn baby as the crowd cheers for me. They missed me. They really fuckin' did.

Don't worry, WCW fans. I missed you, too.

Kev and I walk out to the ring together, something that feels a bit odd, but natural all the same. There haven't been many times that Kev and I have been alone walking to the ring; we've usually had at least one other person, whether it be Scott, Kid, or some other random member of our group. Yet, I fall right into our routine without a single problem.

When we get into the ring, Kev goes over to the turnbuckle and does his pose while I laugh in the middle of it. I blow kisses into the crowd and then too sweet my babe. Stevie paces outside of the ring, watching us cautiously. I lean over the ropes so that I can look at him. I wink at Stevie and he shakes his head.

After Kev and I do a little pose in the ring, I exit it and take my usual position by the steps. A few of the fans nearby start screaming for me and trying to get my attention as the match starts, so I look over my shoulder and give them grins.

"Don't worry," I yell to them, "I missed you miserable little pawns, too!"

Of course, that gets them all riled up. I love it. I really do. I giggle to myself as I turn around, watching Kev and Stevie Ray face off. Each and every time Kev knocks into Stevie, I cheer and smack the ring. When Stevie tries to get the upper hand, I get up on the ring skirt and fake sell my ankle. It's perfect.

Kev brutalizes Stevie in the ring. He smacks him around and beats him up as much as he possibly can without getting disqualified, not that he'd care either way. At one point, Kev distracts the referee long enough for me to kick Stevie in the balls. I really don't hold any ill feelings towards him, but it is satisfactory, you know? I make sure to kick him with the foot that had been injured, just to help prove that I'm completely healed now.

After that, it doesn't take Kev long to get the three count. He picks Stevie up, powerbombs him, and that's it. I get in the ring as soon as the match is over. Kev hands his tag title to me once he gets it back and I beat Stevie with it a few times. Eventually, Booker comes out to save his brother. Book carries Stevie to the back while Kev and I laugh in the ring.

I hand Kev his title back and in return he gives me a microphone. My first big promo in ages! Let's do this thing.

"WCW! It's nice to be back." I pause for a moment as the crowd cheers. "Isn't that sweet, big guy? They really did miss me." I smirk over at Kev, who just laughs.

"For the past four months, I've been stuck at home with an ankle injury that I received due to the carelessness of one little Stevie Ray. Over these past four months, I've had several offers from members within our group to take care of him for me, but I turned them all down. You see, I wanted to be here for this."

I look over at the monitor as it shows Stevie Ray and Booker backstage. Stevie is being tended to by our medics and Book is freaking out, ready to come back out here to the ring and fight. It's perfect.

"Since I joined the New World Order last August, I have been out here every week to help further our cause. Time and time again, I have helped show each and every one of you exactly why we're the most dominate group in this profession."

"Nothing will ever stop the New World Order, especially not some washed-up little tag team. Really, how desperate were Harlem Heat? They tried to take me -someone who is not a wrestler, mind you- out because they knew they couldn't defeat The Outsiders. It's quite pathetic, honestly."

I look over at Kev as I shrug, and he nods in agreement.

"Stevie Ray made a huge mistake when he fractured my ankle, and that mistake will be paid for by all of you little losers that continue to align yourself with WCW. There has been some wonderful work done while I've been gone, but I can assure you all, it's only going to get better from here on out. Jolene Milford is back with a vengeance, baby!"

I drop the mic and smile at the crowd. They're screaming and yelling and cheering, and all of their sounds mesh together into this loud mess. I absolutely love it. This is what I've missed. This is what I've craved!

Kev and I do another little pose for the crowd before we both exit the ring. On our way to the back, we taunt to the crowd, joking around with those in our shirts.

As soon as we're backstage, I run forward a few feet and then jump. It's official; I'm back!

"Holy fuck that was amazing!" I cheer, looking over at Kev. He's grinning as he walks to me.

"You did great, Joli." Kev is so genuinely happy.

I wish Scott and Kid had been here, too. Come on guys, where the fuck are you? Even with as much fun as I had in my return, I can't shake this feeling that the whole thing would've been so much better if all four of us were involved.

"Really, that was- Shit!" I cut off mid-sentence with a curse and a squeal as I'm lifted into the air from behind, by two big arms around my waist. The chuckle that comes from near my ear confirms my suspicion. "Dally!"

"The crowd was on fire for you, Jolene! They could barely control themselves!" Dally sounds so proud. "Hot damn, that's my sister!"

"We're so happy for you, Joli. Your return was amazing." Kim pipes in, smiling as she walks over to stand by Kev.

"Thank you, guys. You're so good to me." I grin, looking over my shoulder at Dallas. "Dally?"

"Yeah, Joli?"

"Can you put me down, please?"

"Oh, yeah! Sorry!"

As soon as my feet touch the ground, I laugh and stand beside of my unofficial big brother. I shift my gaze between Dallas and Kimberly as I gratefully tell them, "I'm so glad you two were here."

"You can always count on us, sis, even when the two jackasses you travel with flake on you." Dallas ruffles my hair.

"Page! They're not jackasses." Kim lightly scolds.

"Really? That's what you called them earlier, babydoll." Dallas shrugs nonchalantly.

"Joli, I didn't-" Kim tries to defend herself, but I cut her off.

"I agree, actually. It really sucks that neither Scott nor Kid could be bothered to show up today. I hope they're okay, but they'd better have some damn good excuses for not being here." It hurts, you know? Two of my closest friends missed my big return, something they were supposed to be a part of.

On top of that, Eric's not happy with them at all. They're going to be in a shitload of trouble.

"Quite frankly, if they're both in good health, I don't give a shit what their excuses are." Kev says with obvious frustration. "I enjoyed the fuck out of going out there with you, babe, but they should've shown up. Tonight was your night and they tried to make it about themselves by not being here."

"If you find them before I do, knock them around a few times for me." Dallas tells Kev. I know he's not joking.

"Gladly." Kev agrees.

"What are the two of you going to do after Nitro?" Kim changes the topic quickly, and I send her a grateful glance. She smiles back at me.

"You still want to hit up a bar and grab some drinks?" Kev asks.

"Oh, definitely. I'd love something to drink right about now." I nod. Soon as we're done talking to Dally and Kim, you'd better believe my ass is rushing outside to smoke, too.

"That's what we're doing, then." Kev chuckles and looks over at Kim.

"I hope you two have a great time." She's the sweetest woman ever.

"Thanks, Kim." I graciously tell her. She just nods happily.

We talk with Dallas and Kim for a while more before heading off on our own. Kev and I really just kill as much time as we can, until we're able to head out. The more I sit and think about my return, the more I begin to believe that it could've been so much better. I'm still damn happy, and I'm glad I'm back, but it had room for improvement.

"How's it feel to have completed your first Nitro after being back?" Kev asks with a grin as he tosses our bags into the trunk of our rental. "Damn good?"

"I don't know if I'd say damn good, but it's pretty great." I send him a grin, but he's not buying it. Kev frowns at me as we both get into the car.

"What makes you say that? Your return was fuckin' amazing. You picked right back up where you left off." I grab a cigarette and light it up as Kev talks and begins to drive.

"I feel like it could've been more." I admit as I roll down my window. "I'm not sad about it; I'm more aggravated than anything." I take a long drag.

"Joli, the crowd loved you. There's not a person in WCW or its fanbase that wasn't fuckin' ecstatic to see your sexy little ass tonight. Your were fantastic, baby. Don't doubt yourself like that."

I take a moment to just smile at Kev. Goddamn, I'm falling more and more in love with him with each day that passes.

"Thank you. Seriously."

"You know it's not a problem." Kev chuckles softly as he moves his right hand over to my thigh. His contact does send sparks throughout that area, but it's more comforting than anything.

"I guess I'm really just ticked that Scott and Kid weren't there tonight. I miss them. It's probably selfish of me to say, but I feel like they should've been there for me." I hate to say that, I really do.

"I'm right there with you on that. I'm ticked at them, too." Kev shakes his head and then lets out an aggravated scoff. It's kind of hot. "They should've been here for you, but they weren't. I'm sorry. I'd have done anything I could've to help get them here, if I knew where they were."

"I know, Kev. You're the best." I tell him before taking a quick puff on my cigarette.

"I love you too much to not do everything I can for you." Kev slides his thumb across my thigh, just to comfort me.

"I know you do. I'm lucky to have you as my inevitable boyfriend." I grin.

"As soon as you say the word, I'm yours. I mean, I'm already yours, just unofficially." Kev laughs. I love my babe.

It doesn't take us all that long to get to the bar. We take a seat at the counter and order a couple of shots, and once they're in front of us, Kev and I raise them to one another in toast.

"To one kick ass return, and two best friends who are being dumb." Kev speaks. I nod in agreement with an amused look on my face, then clink my glass with his. We both laugh before downing our drinks.

Damn, that feels good.

We've no more than sat our glasses down when the doors to the bar swing wide open. The noise gathers both my attention and Kev's, and once we see who's stumbling in here, my heart sinks down to my stomach.

Scott and Kid are clinging to one another and trying to make their way over to the counter. They look like they're out of their damn minds. I've never see any two people look this bad.

"What the fuck?" Kev whispers, unable to hide the aggravation in his voice. "You have got to be kidding me."

While Kev gets up and walks over to them, I slip the money for our drinks to the bartender. As I get up, I see Kev grab both Scott and Kid by the collars of their shirts.

"Oh, hey, Kev! Shit! What're you doing here?" Scott asks with a nervous laugh. "I thought you'd be back at the hotel by this hour!"

"Oh fuck, is Joli here? She's gonna be really mad at me." Kid says in a panicky voice. "I missed her return, man! We were supposed to go out together, and I had a match!"

"No fucking shit you did." My voice startles Kid, who tries to hide behind Scott. It doesn't work, because Kev has a hard hold on his shirt.

"J-Joli! Oh, God, I-"

"Save it for a time when you're in your right mind." I can't tell if I'm more pissed off or distraught. "Really, you two?"

"What?" Scott whines. Kev shakes his head and starts dragging the two of them outside. I follow him. "Come on, man! We can walk!"

"Like hell you can." Kev mutters. As soon as we're outside, Kev drops his hold on Scott and Kid. They both collapse to the ground. "See?"

"Oh, fuck off." Kid mutters, slowly picking himself up. He props against a nearby light post. "Joli, I really-"

"You really what, Kid? You really didn't mean to miss my return? You really didn't mean to get drunk off of your goddamn ass and take God-only-knows what else?" I look over at Scott. "You both are so much better than this!"

"Oh, what's it fuckin' matter?" Scott mumbles, trying to haul himself up. "We're fine."

"I can't believe you two. We're going back to the hotel." Kev once more grabs their shirt collars. Kid doesn't protest, but Scott tries to.

"We're fine! Come on!"

"I dare you to try and fight me on this, Scott. I dare you to." I don't like the cold tone in Kev's voice, but it gets his point across. Scott hangs his head and follows Kev's lead back to the car.

Kev gets Scott and Kid into the back seat and while he buckles Scott up, I do the same for the Kid. As I go to pull back, Kid grabs my hand.

"I really am sorry, Joli." I can faintly see the young lad that I adore behind Kid's glazed eyes and slurred voice. "I'll make it up to you, I..." He trails off as his head drops.

I instantly panic.

"Kev?! The fuck is he- Is he okay?!" I start to shake Kid, but Kev stops me. He leans over past Scott, who is scowling and barely conscious, and checks on Kid.

"He's fine, baby. He's just sleeping. 'Must've been so fuckin' tired after all the shit they've done today." The disappointment in Kev's voice shatters the few little pieces of my heart that remained tonight. "Lets go."

I can't believe that this what Scott and Kid were doing tonight, instead of being with Kev and I at Nitro. I'm hurt. I'm so fucking hurt! I look at my friends in the backseat over my shoulder and just shake my head.

I love you two, I do, but why? I guess we'll have to wait until they sober up in the morning to find out.

As I buckle up in my seat, Kev places a hand on top of one of mine and mouths the words 'I love you.' I give him a weak smile and do the same.

At least I can always count on Kev.

Chapter 29: in the dark

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

As soon as I open my eyes, memories of last night rush back to me. I don't really want to roll and see if Scott and Kid are still here, but I know I need to. It'd be so much easier to just keep laying the way I currently am, facing my sleeping little lady. I gently kiss Jolene's forehead before releasing a silent sigh and forcing myself up.

I turn my head as I sit up, and partially to my surprise, I find Scott and Kid sitting on their bed. They've both got their legs crossed and their heads down, looking guilty as all hell; that's just how they should be. Goddamn, I don't want to deal with all of this today. I don't want to deal with all of this ever.

But, it's what has to be done. Yesterday was completely unacceptable, and I'm sure that they know that now. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt yesterday, but my worst fears turned out to be true.

"You two sleep well last night?" I don't mean to startle Scott and Kid, but I do. The moment I start talking, they both flinch and look in my direction. Kid looks like he wants to cry, and Scott? I've never seen him so dejected.

"As well as you'd expect." Kid replies as he rubs the back of his neck. "I don't really remember going to sleep. I don't remember getting here, either. I barely remember running into you and Joli."

"Yeah, I'd say neither of you really have many memories of yesterday." I run my hands across my face, trying to wake myself up more. "You know I want to throw you both out of the window over there, right? We're on the fourth floor, so it'd be pretty rough."

I obviously wouldn't do that, but when we were dragging their asses up here last night, the thought crossed my mind more than once. I love my brothers dearly, but Jesus Christ, this has been ridiculous.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did it." Scott gives this sad little chuckle. "If I were you, I probably would."

"Yeah," Kid agrees, nodding, "I would, too."

I haul my ass up off the bed and head to the bathroom. When I come back into the room, Joli is awake and grabbing her cigarettes. I catch her gaze for just a moment and we share this agitated little smile. I'm so sorry, babe.

Joli heads to the office chair and lights up a cigarette. I take a seat on our bed as she sits down on the chair and places her ash tray in her lap. We both look at Scott and Kid, who have since returned their gazes to the bed they're seated on.

"All right, let's start at the fuckin' beginning." I speak up after a moment, since no one else was saying anything. "Where the fuck were the two of you yesterday?"

Scott and Kid both sigh, then turn their heads towards one another. They exchange sad little looks, but when Kid goes to speak, Scott holds a hand up and stops him. Scott takes a deep breath before looking directly at me.

"It's all on me. Every little fuckin' bit of harm that was done, it was my fault. I'm the reason neither of us were there yesterday. I'm the reason we got into such stupid shit. It's all my fault." Scott rests his elbow on his knee, so that he can comfortably hold his face with one hand.

"What happened, Scott? Don't beat around the bush." Joli's so fuckin' crushed, she can barely keep the sadness out of her voice.

"Honestly? I didn't know if I could handle seeing the two of you together, now that you're basically..." Scott trails off so that he can chuckle dryly. "It's fuckin' stupid and it's fuckin' selfish, but that's what it boiled down to."

My eyebrows furrow as I look over at Joli. She's already halfway through the cigarette that she just lit, and if I had to guess, I'd say she's going to power through several in the next few minutes. My poor girl is so fuckin' stressed.

"So, what, instead of going to the show, you just..." I mutter as I try to piece it all together.

"It all started yesterday morning, when I got here in the city. Kid and I met up, and I asked him if he wanted to get a drink with me before the show. That was, what, about eleven?" Scott looks over at Kid, who slowly nods.

"I knew it was a stupid idea, but what was I going to do? I wanted some booze, too, and I figured we'd be better off going together." Kid admits, picking at a string on his shorts. "Man, we were both so fuckin' stupid."

"Agreed." I tell them tartly, nodding. "And after that?"

Scott sighs heavily. He doesn't want to keep talking, but we deserve some sort of clue as to what happened. I know that he understands that.

"We got involved with a bad group at the bar." Scott speaks after a moment. "Kid and I were downing all kinds of drinks when this little group of college students on summer break came over to us. They..." Scott shakes his head. His hand that had been holding his face travels up to his hair, and his fingers tangle themselves in it. "They had some rough shit on them. We went to meet up with some of their friends, and things got worse from there."

"How rough are we talking?" Joli questions as she puts out her cigarette.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I ask her seriously as she pulls another stick from her carton. Joli sends me a little frown before turning to Scott.

"I do." Joli's voice is fuckin' shaky. "I know that you've both been into some shit in the past. I don't know how bad, as you've all done a really good job at hiding it from me. But, there's no room for that now. I've been left in the dark long enough, boys. Give it to me straight."

The pain that shines in Scott's eyes is undeniable. He doesn't want to get into this with Joli, and I get that, but she does deserve an answer. Scott takes a deep breath before spewing obvious bullshit from his mouth.

"The worst thing we did was pot. There was a lot of different shit being passed around, but we didn't touch it."

"Don't lie to me." Joli says flatly. "I don't buy that for a second. Pot doesn't do that to you."

"Joli, we..." Scott stops himself. "I honestly don't know what all we got into. It was a lot of stupid shit. I didn't keep track of it all."

"I think he's telling the truth on that." I say to Joli after another moment of silence. She sighs before placing her cigarette back into her mouth.

"I don't know the names of everything we did either, but it wasn't anything good. It was dumb. We both knew better." Kid looks up, locking eyes with Joli. "Jolene, I'm genuinely so sorry. Last night was such a big deal and you deserved more than me flaking on you at the last minute."

I can see the tears begin to swell in Joli's eyes, but she keeps them held back. Joli closes her eyes for a moment, so that she can regain her composure.

"What did you guys end up doing on Nitro last night?" Scott asks cautiously. "I know we probably fucked the plans up completely."

"I took on Stevie Ray and knocked his ass out. It was basically what was supposed to happen with the four of us, but with just me and Joli." I explain. "The crowd went wild for her."

"I didn't doubt they would." Scott gives Joli this pained, proud smile. "Congrats, Joli."

"Thank you." Joli says after exhaling a large cloud of smoke. "You should've seen it."

"I wish I had." Scott forces a grin. "But I didn't. I fucked up. I fucked up big time and I was really fuckin' immature." He looks between me and Joli for a few long moments, obviously trying to find the perfect words to say. "I messed things up for you two, and got you stuck in a spot." He turns to Kid. "Goddamn, you're going to get in so much trouble for all of this. I'm sorry, Kid. I really am."

"I'm just as much to blame at this point, man." Kid pats Scott's back. "Whatever punishment I get, I deserve."

"And Joli...?" Scott shakes his head softly as he speaks. "Joli, I'm so fucking sorry. I... I'm the worst. I don't know what I can do to make this up to you; nothing, probably." Scott clears his throat. "But, I'll do whatever you want me to. If you want to smack me, go ahead. If you want to yell at me, please, do. And if you don't want to speak to me at all? God, I fuckin' deserve that. Just... Joli, I'm so sorry."

Joli puts out her cigarette and then sits her ashtray back on the table. She's so drained by all of this, I know she is. Once again, it looks like my love is about to cry; she doesn't, though. Instead, she just leans forward and looks at Scott as she replies.

"I know you are, Scott. I know you are." Joli sighs. "I want to forgive you, and I will, but you've got to understand, you can't keep doing shit like that. Scott... Don't just turn to that shit because you're upset. Please. You've got to trust me and Kev more than that. We both love you dearly."

"Joli, I know that. I fucked up. I fucked up so bad." Scott says heavily. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Joli. Really, I am." Kid pipes in.

"I know, Kid. Just... I don't want either of you getting into this shit ever again. Please." Joli's tone is soft but assertive.

"All right. We'll clean up out acts." Scott tells us with certainty.

"Definitely." Kid agrees, looking frantically from me to Joli.

I wish I could fully believe them. I genuinely do. I hope that my brothers don't get themselves into worse situations, because I know that they can both easily fall into dark places.

"Can both of you swear off alcohol for a while?" I ask seriously. "Just long enough for the two of you to get your shit together. I know it's not the easiest thing to do, with out lifestyle, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable."

"You're not." Scott looks over at Kid as he talks. "I mean, that won't be easy, but we can do it. Right, Kid?"

"Yeah. If that's what you want from us, it's what we'll do." Kid nods a bit too quickly, causing his hangover headache to flare up. He groans and holds his head, muttering a soft, "Fuck," under his breath.

"All right. This is a good start." I look over at Joli, who has this look of uncertainty. I turn back to Scott and Kid and tell them, "You'd better call Eric and try and save your asses."

"Shit, I know." Kid's understandably anxious about the whole thing. He's going to get the worse end of the stick, I have no doubt about that. "Hey, once we get that taken care of, can we take you two out to eat? The least we can do for you guys is buy you a meal."

"Please? We'd love to take some of the burden off of our hearts somehow." Scott jokes lightheartedly.

"That sounds good to me. What about you, babe?" I look over at Joli, and she nods. "I guess that settles it."

"I'm gonna go get a coffee from the lobby. You want one, Scott?" Kid asks as he forces himself up and out of bed. He stumbles at first, but once he stands up straight, he's good.

"Yeah, that'd be good. You two want one?" Scott stands up, momentarily struggling as Kid had.

"Load that shit up on sugar and you best bet I do." Joli chuckles.

"Yeah, sure. Why the fuck not?" I laugh.

"We'll be back." Kid grins. He and Scott both wave to us before heading out of the room. Once the door closes behind them, Joli lets out a heavy sigh and walks over to me.

"That was tough. I admit, I really didn't want to talk to them at all about it. I think we handled everything well, though." Joli comments as she sits down on my knee. She drapes her arms over my shoulders and buries her face against my neck. "Fuck, man."

"It's never easy, but it has to be done. I'm just glad they're not being so damn stubborn this time." I snugly wrap my arms around Joli and hold her close. The smell of her cigarette's is pretty damn strong, but it's comforting.

"How would I make it without you?" Joli chuckles softly against my neck. I kiss the top of her shoulder with a smile. "I couldn't handle this on my own."

"I'm just far more experienced with all of this than you are, dear. That's all." I hug her tightly. I'm glad that we're at least able to enjoy this sweet little moment.

I hold my Joli until a knock at the door gets our attention. We both turn to look at the door as we hear Kid yell from outside of it.

"Guys! We don't have a room key!"

"Well," Joli kisses the base of my neck before sliding out of my arms, "I guess I'll go let them in." She gives me a goofy grin before walking away. Goddamn, I love her.

Life's rough, but I'm hoping Scott and Kid will be able to settle down from here on. My brothers are great, and I'll always do whatever I can for them; they know that.

I hate that Joli's had to see these sides of Scott and Kid, but I couldn't shield her from them any longer. She knows that that's not who they really are, though, and I guess that's the big part of what matters in that case.

Chapter 30: reliable

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

Ever since Kid and I fuckin' ruined Joli's return on Monday, things have been so awkward between the four of us. Kid and I have been trying our damnedest to make things right, but I know Joli and Kev both are so skeptical of us. I don't really blame them, honestly. I'm worried about me fucking up again, too.

I look over at Joli from the passenger seat as she parks the rental and turns it off. We're at this nice little park, and it's probably, what, ten in the evening? I had to basically beg her to come out here with me tonight, because she was so damn worried about me. But honestly, I've just got to talk to her.

She wanted Kev to come, even if she didn't say it. I know she did. Tonight, though, it's just about me, Joli, and these burdens that I've been carrying on my shoulders.

"Thank you for coming out with me tonight, Joli. I appreciate it." I tell her as I unbuckle my seatbelt.

"You said you wanted to talk, right?" Joli asks with a small smile. I nod as she grabs her cigarettes and her lighter from the cup holder. "Well, it just so happens that I'm in the mood for a conversation. I've got a lot on my mind, too."

I've not got any idea what she wants to talk about, but I'll gladly listen to whatever she has to say.

"If there's anything I can ever do for you, all you've got to do is tell me. I know I've not been the most reliable as of late, but I really do care about you, Jolene. You're one my best friends." I smile over at her. Fuck, I wish we were more.

"You're a great guy, Scott. You really are. I just wish that you saw that." Joli chuckles softly as she opens the car door beside of her. "But, we came to walk and talk, right? No need to just sit in the car all night. I mean, if that's what you want to do, we can, but I think this park is awfully damn beautiful. Might as well have a pretty scene as we pour our hearts out, right?"

I can't not grin at Joli's playful little remark. I love this woman so very much; it's killing me.

"You're right." I just mutter with a laugh. Joli and I both exit the car, and as we walk over to the nearby path, she pulls a cigarette out of her carton. She slides her carton into her shorts and then looks over at me, twirling her cigarette between her fingers.

"So, would you like to start off, or would you rather I have that honor?" Joli asks, raising a brow.

"As tempting as it is to put this off a bit longer, I think I'll volunteer to begin story time." I joke as I shove my hands into my pockets. God, this isn't going to be easy.

"Fire away. The stage is yours." Joli sends me a look of encouragement before popping her cigarette into her mouth and lighting it up. I turn my attention to the path in front of me before taking a deep breath.

Fuck.

"I know I haven't necessarily been the best friend over the past couple of weeks, and I could come up with a list of excuses that is a mile long. I've made a lot of bad choices and done a lot of stupid shit recently, between yelling at Kev and the whole Monday fiasco. But, Joli, I hope you know that I genuinely haven't meant to hurt either of you."

I glance over at Joli, trying to keep an eye on her reaction. She gives me a nod, remaining silent as she smokes and listens.

"You see, my mind has been... something of a chaotic space lately." I pause, trying to find the perfect words to describe my predicament. "It seems as though no matter what I do, my damn insecurities and doubts find a way to creep back into my mind. Whenever something even slightly negative crosses my mind, it's as if these darker thoughts just amplify them. Before I know it, I'm a goddamned hole."

I hate admitting that, but it's the truth. Even now, just talking about it, I can feel my heart rate quicken. There's this little voice in my head that's telling me that she thinks I'm absolutely ridiculous, when I know that isn't the case. Joli is such a sweet woman and she'd never treat me that way.

"I don't really have the best coping skills, and that's a big part of what's wrong with me. There's been so much shit that I've just not been able to properly handle. Things have been pretty stressful over the past few months, and the pressure I've felt has been mainly applied by myself. I don't want to do this, but I do it anyway." I laugh at my own weakness. I'm fuckin' pathetic.

"Scott, if I've done anything to make this worse on you, I..." Joli stops in her tracks, looking at me with such a sad expression. "The last thing I've ever wanted is to hurt you. I'm sorry that I-"

"Joli, honey, don't. You haven't got a single thing  to apologize for." I shake my head and give her a smile. I place my hands on Joli's shoulders, trying to make sure I say all of this right. "I know that you and Kev have got a beautiful future together. You're good for each other." These words burn my throat. "I want you to be happy, Joli, and if he makes you happy, be with him. You and Kev are my two favorite people on this planet. I've never meant to bring you two any pain, even if it probably doesn't seem that way based on my behavior recently."

Joli just kind of stares at me for a moment, and since she's holding her cigarette near her face, I'm able to see her grip on it tighten just a bit. "You're such a great guy, Scott. I really do appreciate you and all of the support and love you've given me for so long." She cracks a grin and then moves to hug me. I return the gesture without a fuckin' second of hesitation, but I feel my heart crack just a little.

It's hard for me to believe that I'm such a great guy when I couldn't be what you need. At the end of the day, Joli, I just wasn't good enough.

"I'm really nowhere near as wonderful as you are, Joli. I promise you that." As she pulls back from the hug, I have to stop myself from bringing her back in. Come back to me, Joli?

"If there's every anything that I can do for you, please, let me know. I don't know everything about your past, and if you don't want to tell me more about what all you've done, you don't have to. Just... promise me something, Scott." Joli speaks softly before bringing her cigarette back up to her lips.

"What is it?"

"If you can, just... just let one of us know when you're not feeling so hot. By that, I hate to say it, I mean me or Kev. Kid isn't.. Kid isn't really in the best place, either, and I'm sure it's tempting as all hell for the two of you to go do stupid things together, but-"

"I'll do everything I can, Joli. I just..." I shake my head while smiling sadly. "I just can't completely make that promise. It's entirely possible that I fuck up again, that I do some stupid shit."

This pained look of understanding crosses Joli's face. She takes a long drag on her cigarette before grabbing one of my hands and squeezing it tightly.

"Be safe. Please. If anything were to ever happen to you-"

I have to interrupt Joli once more, because the heartbreaking tone in her voice is literally killing me.

"Don't worry too much about me, okay? I just... I really just wanted to let you know that I have a reason for my recent stupidity. It's not that I hate you or Kev, not at all. I hate myself more than I could ever hate the two of you."

I don't necessarily mean to say that last part, but it slips out anyway. Joli looks as though she wants to say so much, but the words escape her. However, she soon thumps my chest with a sly smile upon her lips.

"Come on, don't think like that. You're one handsome, talented motherfucker, Scott. You're a lot more than you've ever given yourself credit for being." Then why do I feel this way, Joli? She must've sensed my doubt, because she furrows her brows and nudges my chest again. "Scott Oliver Hall."

"Huh?" She's never called by my full name before. I'm kind of shocked.

"Do you trust me?"

"I do. I trust you a lot." I nearly add babe to the end of the sentence, but I stop myself.

"Then listen to me when I tell you how great you are. Trust me when I tell you these things." Joli's gaze softens. "Okay?"

"All right." I give her a grin and ruffle her hair. We stare at one another for a silent moment before starting up our walk again.

Joli is a fuckin' gift to the world. God, I wish I didn't love her the way I do.

When Joli begins talking again, she's already lit up another cigarette. She's gone through so many smokes this week, it's ridiculous; then again, that's all my fault, too. She only smokes like this when she's stressed as hell.

"Back when we went to my high school reunion, I told you that when I was ready to talk about my past marriage, you'd be the first person I came to." Joli motions for me to follow her over to the playground of the park. She takes a seat on one of the swings while I just lean against the set. "I'm a woman of my word."

"Are you sure, Joli?" She nods. "Wouldn't you rather talk to Kev about all this first?"

"I'm sticking by what I said." Joli sighs, shaking her head. "The shit I'm about to tell you, I'm not sure when I'll be ready to tell him. It's... it's a lot. I really just need to get this off my chest somehow, and like you trust me, I trust you."

I fold my arms across my chest and send Jolene a soft little smile. Goddamn, I'm not sure if I'm ready to hear this. But, I'm not going to stop her.

"Go ahead. Just say whatever you need to."

"All right, let me start at the beginning. That's the easiest way to handle this, right?" She takes a quick puff on her cigarette. "When I was in high school, I met a young man by the name of Thomas Jamison. He was a year older than me, and at the time, he was a handsome young lad with a bright personality and blue eyes that made my world go dark. He was the star of the drama club and the object of many girls affection. One day, young Thomas approached me as I was walking towards my school bus. He complimented my hair and slid his phone number into the palm of my hand."

I want to say something, anything, but I don't. I'm just going to let Joli go and comfort her when I need to.

"Over the course of my junior year, which was also Thomas' senior year, the two of us began dating. My parents have never been very much involved in my life, but during that time, Thomas impressed them greatly. Hell, he impressed me. He seemed to be such a kind soul who thought the absolute world of me and only wanted the best for our future. He was valedictorian of his class, you know? After his graduation, he took my virginity in the back of his brand-new van."

Joli hunches over on the swing for a moment, just gathering her composure and taking a drag. This isn't the least bit easy for her, and I know that. She spares a quick glance in my direction, and I nod back at her, so that she knows I'm still listening and I'm here for her.

"I thought that Thomas was perfect. For the longest time, everything about our relationship just felt right. He'd take me out, show me off, and talk positively of me to his friends and his family." Joli lets out a large sigh and shakes her head. "But, I was so goddamn wrong."

"Thomas went off to college the fall after he graduated high school, and we saw each other whenever we possibly could. He'd call me every night, but the conversations weren't always the best. If his roommate was in the room with him, he'd be the sweet, caring Thomas that I knew and loved. Those were the best times. If Thomas was alone, though, he became very obsessive and jealous. He'd berate me with questions of what I wore to school that day, who I talked to. If my answers weren't what he wanted, he'd yell at me. He'd make me feel horrible for the choices I'd made and I'd spend the next week hating myself."

Really, what kind of piece of shit treats a woman that way? Thomas, where are you at right now, motherfucker? I'd love to find your pathetic ass and rip your head from your shoulders. Jolene, I love you. I'm so sorry you've been through all of this.

"Of course, if I really pissed Thomas off, he'd rough me around a bit. It was never anything extremely horrible, at least, not to the degree that other women have been physically abused. He'd just shove me into walls or doors or things of that nature. On one occasion, he tossed me into the side of his van. He then proceeded to tell me how shitty I was for denting it. Funny how life works out, huh?"

"Let the record show that I did try to go against Thomas on certain occasions. We both know that I can have an attitude, but every time I attempted to dispute him, he'd get me back for it. Oh, God, he'd get me back for it." Joli shudders and then takes a final puff on that cigarette. Do I even really want to know what she means by that?

"Thomas proposed to me after my senior prom, in the parking lot of the school. Everyone talked about how it was the cutest thing in the world, and about how much Thomas and I loved one another. Things weren't so bad after that, not for a while. Once I graduated from high school that summer, I moved into Thomas' apartment with him. We wed the following December, because Thomas wanted me to be as covered during the wedding as I possibly could be. Of course, I still looked damn good, but it was ridiculous, you know?"

Yeah, that's pretty fuckin' bad.

"After our wedding, Thomas just got worse and worse. I didn't go to college, as I had no interest in such a thing, and that pissed him off. The jokes on him, though; he only actually finished two years of it. After he'd completed those two years, we moved back to our hometown and began working on our long-term future..."

Joli finally begins to tear up, and I have to stop myself from rushing over to her and holding her tightly. Joli, baby, you don't have to keep talking to me about this. Please, stop if it's too much for you...

"Thomas wanted a family, and oh, he wanted a big one. He wanted three boys and a girl, so that the boys could protect the girl. You know, because women are just completely incompetent and have to have men to watch over them. He also made the comment to me one day that he wouldn't want 'the little slut' to end up being a teen mom." My mouth fuckin' drops. "Yeah. He said that about our potential daughter."

Both of my hands bundle into fists, my nails digging tightly into my palms. I want to fucking scream and go find this pathetic piece of shit.

"For a year, Thomas and I tried to conceive a child. From the summer of 86 to the summer of 87, it seemed like the only thing we did was fuck. Let me tell you, that wasn't always the most enjoyable thing. Thomas believed that he was a God in the bedroom, but he wasn't. He rarely ever satisfied me, but goddamn, he made sure he got there. Most of the time, I just went through the motions." Joli shrugs and pulls another cigarette out of her carton. She's still on the brink of crying, but she's trying her hardest to not let it show.

"After a year of me not getting knocked up, Thomas decided it was time that we saw a doctor. He just knew it couldn't be a problem on his end, so I was the first to get checked out." Joli tells me with her cigarette in her mouth. She then lights it up and takes a shaky hit on it before speaking again. "He was right, though. It wasn't Thomas' fault that we couldn't have a child. No, not at all. I was the one that wasn't working properly."

Joli chuckles nervously and brings her free hand behind of her head. She pulls on her hair as she looks over at me, a few tears beginning to seep from her eyes.

"It's very likely that I'll never be able to create a child, Scott. My body just doesn't work the way it's supposed to." I stare at Joli, wide-eyed and silent. She wipes her tears away and smokes a little more before resuming her train of thought. "Thomas... He wasn't happy about that. At first, he refused to believe that it was so close to impossible that I could reproduce. When we got home from my first doctors appointment, I was sobbing, but we had sex anyway. We continued to try for the rest of the year, but nothing ever came of it."

"In early '88, Thomas had just about had enough of my inability to start a family. It was at that point that our marriage become very strained, and he started sneakily fucking other women behind my back. Of course, I knew what was going on, but the public didn't. Thomas wanted to keep his image squeaky-clean, even though I felt horrible. The thing was, the more Thomas began to show his true colors to me, the more his outward appearance began to reflect that."

"I caught him a few times, but naturally, it was all my fault. He wasn't trying to knock any of his broads up, but he did make it sound as though I was the most incompetent lover on the face of the earth. You know, he wouldn't fuck around if I could satisfy him. Shit like that." Joli hangs her head. "At the end of the year, he decided it was time to try and fix our marriage. He wanted to try for a family with me once more, because he loved me and thought that we could get past anything."

"In October 1989, just a few month before our fourth wedding anniversary, I made my decision to leave Thomas. I had snuck off to see a doctor that day, and I'd been told for the first time how genuinely difficult it would be for me to have a child. Every other time before, Thomas had been there and made it seem a lot more likely than it actually was. The harsh reality of it all smacked me in the face and I knew that I would never be able to make Thomas happy if I couldn't give him a family."

This has to be the roughest part, right? Fuck...

"I... I told Thomas about my infertility and that I'd like a divorce, and he snapped. He shoved me against our kitchen countertop and pinned my arms behind my back." Tears are now flowing freely from Joli's eyes, tears that I want to wipe away. "He grabbed a knife and placed it right at my stomach, pressing it in just enough to not break through my skin. The piece of shit... He looked me dead in the eyes and said something like, 'Okay, Jolene, you want to leave? Well, before you do, maybe I'll just rip you uterus out for you. It's not working properly anyway.' I believe I would've died, had our neighbor not come over to ask for some eggs."

Joli begins sobbing and trying her best to smoke, and honestly, I can't just stand back anymore. I walk over behind of her and wrap my arms around her, which isn't the easiest thing to do where she's on the swing. For the next little bit, Joli just cries on me. I walk over in front of her and wipe away her tears once she's calmed down.

"Thomas and I divorced in January of 1991. It was a pain in the ass to get him to sign the papers, but he eventually let me go. I'd been discretely saving money since we began trying for children, and as soon as I was free, I moved to Norfolk. I've repressed all of this for so long, and it just... it feels good to finally talk about it to someone." Joli takes a deep breath as she looks up at me. "You're the only person on this Earth that I've ever told about the way he treated me. You're the only person aside from Thomas that I've ever told about my child-creating issues."

I don't know what to say. I truly don't. For a few seconds, I just stare at Joli, absolutely dumbfounded; but, once my logic and reason return, I sit down on one of the swings beside of her.

"Thank you for sharing all of this with me. I'm glad that I could help you in any way, Joli. I know that wasn't easy at all for you to say, but I hope that it's cleared your mind a little bit." I send Joli a small smile, and she returns it.

"It has. Thank you for listening to me, Scott, and for being the best fuckin' friend I could ask for. Please, never doubt yourself. You've been great to me."

It hurts, being referred to as merely as friend, when I know she sees Kev as more. But, there's no room for my selfish ass right now.

"If you don't mind my asking, Joli, is it impossible for you to have a child?" I really hate to bring that up. "You haven't got to answer me on that. Just tell me to shut up, if I'm taking that too far."

"No, it's okay. It's not impossible, just very unlikely. If I ever have a child, I'll be completely surprised." Joli chuckles sadly. "I'd love to have a kid, but I don't see it happening. If it says anything, I really don't have a reason to use protection during sex; it just... it's a lot easier to use it so that I don't have to bring this up."

"I'm sure Kev could spare a shit ton on condoms if you told him." I joke lightheartedly. "God knows I could've." Joli does laugh a little, so I'd say that was worth it.

"I'm going to tell him, don't worry. I just don't know when." Joli then begins to move her feet back and forth, pushing herself off of the ground. "I'm just glad it's finally out in the open."

"If you ever need me, I'm always here for you, Joli. I know you and Kev love each other, but you're still my best friend. I know I'm not always the most reliable, but I'll try my damnedest for you."

Joli smiles at me and stops swinging for just a moment. "All right. Push me, then. I want to go as high as you fuckin' get me."

"Really?" I send her a playful grin. "Sure you won't fall out?"

"I'm pretty damn sure." Joli giggles.

I get up from my swing and walk behind of Joli's, grabbing ahold of the chains. I'll push her on this damn thing as long as she wants me to.

Originally, all I wanted out of tonight was to apologize to Joli, but now I'm even more ashamed of myself. Jolene Milford is such a strong woman, and what am I? Her flaky friend? Goddamn, Joli is one hell of a lady.

Maybe one day, Kev and I can go kick Thomas' ass? Yeah, I think that sounds good.

I'm grateful for the bond that Joli and I have, even if it's never going to accumulate into anything more. I'm blessed to have someone as wonderful as her in my life.

I have to make damn sure that I never fuck this up.

Chapter 31: life's good

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I lean back in my seat and groan as I pop my back. These chairs that we've got in our makeup room today are so damn uncomfortable, but at least they can be useful if I move my back on them the right way. I guess being bored out of my mind doesn't really help.

I can't really get up and do anything, because my nails are drying. The black I used on them today is so nice and shiny; the last thing I want to do right now is risk fucking that up. Plus, it's so damn hot both outside the venue and inside of it, I don't want to try and move too much. I'd work up a sweat way too easily.

I notice someone out of the corner of my eye. Liz walks into the room and I whistle at her once I identify her. "Yo, Liz!" She turns around and gives me smile.

"Hey, Joli."

"You see Kimberly anywhere? She went to go check on her new gear like a half an hour ago and I'm bored as all hell." I whine, leaning forward in my chair. It's hard to move too much when I've got my hands plastered to the table.

"I haven't seen her, I'm sorry." Liz apologizes, walking over to stand by me for a moment. "I actually just got here not too long ago. Randy and I were a little late."

"It's no big deal." I tell her dismissively. Liz is such a sweet woman and I honestly wish that we were closer. We've just never really never spent all that much time together. Huh... "Hey, Liz? Do you want to just hang out with me for a while? We can just sit here and chat." I give her a warm and friendly grin.

"I wish I could, Jolene." Liz says softly. "I actually just came in here for a moment, so that I could grab some hair spray. Randy is waiting on me." The sweet tone in her voice is so soothing! "Maybe some other time?"

"Definitely." I chuckle and nod. "I won't hold you any longer. Thanks anyway! If you see Kim, tell her I said to get her ass back over here."

"I will." Liz giggles before waving at me and scurrying away. I watch as she grabs a can of hair spray and then exits the room. I can't help but laugh when I hear Mach from outside, happily exclaiming Liz's name.

Aren't they something else?

Unfortunately, once Liz reunites with Mach, I'm bored yet again. I want to just lay my head down on my table, but I can't, because it'll fuck up my makeup. I mean, I guess I've got time to redo it...

The moment someone pokes my back, I jump in my seat. The top of my knees smack the bottom of the table, but thankfully, my nails aren't damaged as I fling my hands into the air. I hiss in pain as I whip around to see who's behind me.

"Kimberly! What the fuck?!" Of course it's Kim. Who else would it be?

"Wow! I didn't mean to startle you that bad, Joli." Kim giggles as I scoot back, so that I can lean over my pained knees.

"It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't whacked my damn legs." I groan, awkwardly looking up at Kim. She's still in her street clothes, but she's got a stack of clothes in her arms. The moment my eye catches our nWo logo, I jump up and out of my seat. "What's that?!"

"Shit!" Kim curses as she steps back in surprise. I smirk smugly at her reaction; I didn't intend to catch her off guard, but she can consider that payback for making me hurt my knees. Kim sticks her tongue out at me before nodding to the clothes draping over her left arm. "You've got some new gear, and it's pretty badass."

"Let me see it!" Yes! I'm so excited! I usually play some sort of part in picking out my attires, but I haven't even thought about it since I got back. We've got some talented designers working for us, and if Kim likes it, it has to be good. "My nails are still drying or I'd take it from you right now."

"And here I thought the only person you took it from anymore was Kevin. Huh." Kim tries to play her little quip off nonchalantly, but as soon as she looks over at me, she bursts into laughter. "I'm sorry, Joli. I couldn't miss that opportunity, could I?"

"Honestly?" I give a dramatic sigh before staring at Kim for a silent moment. "I'd be a little disappointed if you hadn't said anything. Good job." We giggle together. I swear, Kim usually doesn't make these sassy little comments, but when she does, they're good.

"Anyway," Kim grins as she lays her own new attire across the back of my chair, "I think you'll really like this."

I fuckin' grin like a moron as I watch Kim lay my new gear out on the table. Looks like I'm going to be wearing some nice, short, black shorts with the nWo logo across the ass. I've got a low-cut white tank top to go with it, along with a nice, black vest. The back has a hand that's throwing up a too sweet on it, with Jolene below it. Finally, I've got these rad black, spiked gloves that have a small hole on the back of each of them. This may be one of the hottest attires I've ever had.

Oh, it's goddamn perfect.

"This is fuckin' great!" I exclaim as I tear my gaze away from my new clothing and send it over to Kim. She's wearing a proud smile. "Did you design this?"

"Well, someone had to, and it was either me, Scott, or Kevin." Kim giggles. "Neither of them really knew the first place to start with a girl's attire, so I took over. I'm glad you like it! I was a little worried at first about how it would turn out, but the finished product is awesome!"

"I can't wait to put this on, oh my God." I check over my nails, which should just about be completely dry. "Thank you so much, Kim. Seriously."

"You're welcome, sister." Kim smiles and bumps her hip into mine. "I've got some sick boots that go with the gear, too. They're in my bag." It's so damn hot, and this attire is a blessing. I'm lucky to have someone as talented and caring as Kim.

"I could kiss you right now." I tell Kim with a laugh. "Thank you. Really, how did someone as thoughtful as you end up friends with me?" I joke.

"Huh, let's see." Kim places her hands on the table and partially bends over it as she pretends to search her brain. "Well, the first time we met, we were both heavily intoxicated..."

"Hey!" I interject, sounding playfully defensive. "It's not my fault that your barely 22 year old ass couldn't handle any liquor."

"True." Kim giggles. "But at least I didn't fall off the barstool like you did."

I pout as the memory plays back in my mind. "That fuckin' hurt!"

"But, who was the one that helped you up?" Kim grins and so do I.

"Oh, it was you." I laugh. "Dallas was too busy laughing his ass off and causing a scene."

"That kind of set the bar for how our little trips out would go, huh?" Kim comments, thinking back fondly. "It has always been a lot of you doing crazy things and Page laughing from the distance."

"And a lot of you helping me get my shit together."

"That's how we work. You keep me fun and I keep you tamed." Oh, she's right.

Once my nails dry, I head on back to the changing room and slip right into my gear. As I walk out, only wearing socks over my feet, Kim meets and hands me my boots. I trade my street clothes to her for just a moment, so that I can slip on the boots.

Fuck, I love this gear.

"You know Kevin's going to flip when he sees you, right?" Kim playfully wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"I hope he does. I feel fuckin' great." I tell her with a smirk. She hands my clothes back to me and then, since she's changed into her attire as well, we head off to find our babes.

It takes us a while to find anyone, but it's not long after I spot the back of Kid's head that I lay eyes on Kev. He's talking to Kid, and the two of them are walking down the hallway, the same way that we are.

"Hey! Kliq boys!" I call out, but they don't hear me. I don't want to run after them, but I need to get their attention.

"Hold on." Kim mutters, grabbing a bottle of water from a nearby table. She runs forward just a little bit before chucking it at my duo. I can only watch in some amused (yet horrified) state as the bottle flies across the room and smacks Kid in the back of the leg. "Got him!"

"What the fuck?!" Kid yells as he hops on one leg and whips around. "Joli?!"

I see Kev mouth the word 'fuck' just before I jokingly throw my hands up. "I didn't do it, Kid!"

"That was me!" Kim declares proudly. "Sorry, Sean."

"Fuck, Kimberly!" Kid groans. He follows Kev as he begins to make his way over to us.

"Don't worry, she made me smack the ever-loving hell out of my knees earlier." I tell Kid with a laugh. "There I was, just sitting at my table, when this crazy lady comes up behind me and startles me. It hurt!"

"It's not my fault that you aren't the easiest people to catch the attention of." Kim pouts innocently.

"I'm sorry, I hate to interrupt this little conversation, but God-fucking-damn look at my girl!" Kev clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he scans his eyes over me. "Is this the gear you designed, Kim?"

"Yes indeed! I told you you'd love it." Kim crosses her arms over her chest proudly. I take a few steps to the side and then throw out my arms, so that I can turn around and give my boys a good view of the gear.

"Fuck! Have I ever told you how good of an ass you have?" Kev grins. "I'm blown away."

"Really?" I teasingly shake it at Kev. "I didn't think my ass was all that nice."

"I mean, you really do have one of the nicest asses in the business." Kid pipes in. "He's not lying."

Kim and I both giggle as Kev thumps Kid on the side of his head. Kid turns his back to all of us in a childish, defensive manner. "You're all beating me up today! Jeez!"

"Where's Scott?" I ask, no-selling Kid's complaint. He grumbles and turns back around to face us all, just as I figured he would.

"He's been talking to Eric about our plans for the next few months. We were all talking together, but Scott said he had a few questions for Eric. I bailed out of there." Kev shrugs, looking over towards the way they came from. "He should just about be done, though."

"I think I'm going to go on and find Page." Kim chuckles. "If I see Scott, I'll tell him where you three are."

"Well, I'm heading out to smoke. I assume these two will accompany me?" I smile up at Kev before looking over at Kid. They both nod.

"All right. Later, guys!" We all wave at Kim as she walks away.

Kev, Kid, and I head to our locker room and after I drop off my street clothes and grab my smokes, we go outside. They've already changed into their gear, so we're ready to go.

Fuck, it's hot.

Scott's waiting for us when we get outside. He's propped up against one of the walls, with his arms across his chest. He's probably only been here for a couple of minutes, but he's sweating like he's been in the ring.

"You can really tell it's summer now, can't you?" Scott grins over at us. "Goddamn."

"This is pretty rough." Kev mumbles. He leans against the wall beside of Scott, while Kid stands in front of Scott. I stand beside of Kid after lighting up a cigarette.

"I don't like the heat." I tilt my head up ever-so-slightly as I exhale my smoke. My eyes crinkle at the bright light of the sun, so I shake my head and return my attention to my boys.

"What'd Eric tell you?" Kid asks, raising one of his hands up to block the sun from his face.

Scott sighs and looks over at Kev as he talks. "He's wanting us to chase the belts for a couple of months, so we're going to be dropping them before too long. He said he's got big plans for the nWo next year, but we're going to start sowing the seeds for that over the next few months. Something about us officially splitting into two different nWo groups?" Scott then shrugs. "He said he's got some shit to talk to the Hulkster about, and that he'll let us in on everything as soon as he finalizes it."

"I'm impressed that he's actually thinking about long-term booking. And here I thought he'd start to slack, since we've been in the lead with ratings for so long." I don't mean to always make sarcastic remarks about Bischoff -actually, yes, I do.

"He can come up with good shit when he actually tries." Kev doesn't seem completely convinced about that himself. "So, we're dropping the belts soon?"

"Yep." Scott nods.

"Who to?" Kev asks curiously.

"About that..." Scott stifles a laugh. "Joli?"

"Hmm?" I hum as I smoke.

"You know how you said Eric was thinking about long-term booking?" I choke on my smoke as soon as I realize where Scott's going with this. Really, Eric? "He doesn't have a damn clue who we're handing those titles to."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Kev gives a tart, short laugh. "How hard is it to pick one of our tag teams? I could book this shit better."

"I don't doubt that." I agree. "He's too damn busy thinking about several months down the line to worry about what's fuckin' going on right now."

"You're right." Kid rolls his eyes. "He'll throw something together at the last minute, though. He always does."

As we bitch about Eric underneath the blistering summer sun, I can't help but find myself in a damn cheerful mood. Things have been really nice around here lately; Scott and Kid both seem to be doing better, and Kev and I are growing closer with each passing day. I feel like I've been a lot more free lately, since I talked to Scott about Thomas. Life's good.

Even when Eric is a complete imbecile, there's no place I'd rather be then right here at WCW with my boys.

Chapter 32: you've got it

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

As I look over myself in the full-body mirror in our hotel room, I wish I could stop my heart from beating as quickly as it is. I hope everything goes well tonight. Joli's placing a lot of trust in me tonight by letting me take her out on our first unofficial date.

I mean, she's got to start somewhere, right? I wish she didn't have to struggle with letting me in, but it's not her fault. It's all because of that bastard ex-husband of hers.

I do look pretty fuckin' good tonight, I can't deny that. My hair is pulled back and I'm wearing a nice, gray polo. I've also got on some black slacks and dress shoes. It's not the type of thing I'd normally wear out for a night on the town, but I'm taking my girl out for the first time on a date. It's a big deal.

Man, am I even prepared to see Joli? I know she's going to look a thousand times better than I do.

After running my hands along my pants a couple of times to smooth them out, I glance over at the clock on the desk. It's just about time to go get Joli. Oh, God, I shouldn't be nervous. Since when do I fuckin' worry at all?

Everything is so much different whenever she's involved. I guess that really is what love does to a person.

The room key catches my eye as I walk over to the desk, so I pick it up. I slide the little card into my wallet once I pick that up, and then I put my wallet into my pocket. Let's go find my baby.

As I approach Dallas and Kimberly's room, I spot Dallas sitting out in the floor. He's got his back to the wall beside of the door to their room. I shove my hands into my pockets as I approach him, a small grin sneaking its way onto my lips.

"The ladies kick you out?" I ask with a laugh. Dallas sighs heavily as he looks up at me.

"Yeah, about three hours ago. I went to the convenience store across the road about, what, an hour ago? Grabbed some water, some little treats." He motions to the plastic bag at his side with the empty water bottle in his hand. "They still won't let me in! They're saying that I'd ruin the feminine atmosphere."

"Huh. Who would've thought?" I playfully raise a brow as I look down at Dallas. "And here I thought that you would've had the most girly expertise of all, my man."

"You're such a smartass!" Dallas cackles. I can't help but widen my grin.

"I was under the impression that was the reason we became friends in the first place." I reply jokingly. Dallas shrugs before grabbing his bag and standing up. He wipes his hands on his pants and then pats my shoulder.

"You know I have to give you some strict speech now, right?" Dallas gives me a coy smirk. "After all, you're about to take my little sister out on a date."

Oh, boy. Here we go.

"Hit me with your best shot, buddy. I think I can take it." I remove my hands from my pockets, so that I can cross my arms over my chest. Dallas leans his back against the wall once more as he looks up at me.

"All right, so, as you're aware, my little sister isn't exactly the easiest lady to love on this Earth. She's sassy, she's sharp, and she's got a no-nonsense attitude that a lot of people aren't fond of." Dallas chuckles quietly before a more serious look crosses his face. He tone becomes more soft as he speaks. "But, that's not the tricky part. Joli's damaged, but that's something I'm sure you're more than aware of. I don't know what the degree of her pain is, and I'm not sure if you do, either, but you've got to be careful with her."

"The last thing I would ever want to do is bring Jolene any kind of pain." I tell Dallas honestly. "She's my world, Page. She's my entire world."

The look of pride and happiness that comes onto my old friend's face makes me smile. "I know that, Kev. That's why I'm not all that worried about you taking her out. My little sister is a beautiful, kind-hearted woman, and I don't think you have it in you to hurt her." I don't. "I trust you."

"I'm glad you do. You and Kimberly are the only two people that I've ever seen Joli consider to be family." Though to be fair, Dallas and Kim seem to be all she needs. "I'm glad I have your seal of approval."

"Plus, we've known each other for so long, I know just how to take you down. So, if you were to try anything out of line, I'd be able to knock your ass out." Dallas grins as he pats my back. Cheeky little bastard!

"What's that?" I lean my head down closer to Dallas. "I don't think I heard you properly. What did you say?"

"Oh," Dallas laughs, "I think you heard me."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I didn't."

"Do you want me to repeat myself?"

"You could, but-"

Dallas and I both turn our attention to the door at our left as it opens up. Kim steps outside and gives both me and Dallas a large smile.

"You look nice tonight, Kevin. Joli's just finishing up in the bathroom, so she'll be out in a moment." There goes my damn heart again. "I'm sure Page has already given you 'the talk'?"

"Jesus Christ, Kim, I told him to be good to Joli! I didn't tell him how to fuck her." Dallas laughs.

"No, I think I have that taken care of. I'm quite familiar with how she likes it." I send both Dallas and Kim a fuckin' shit-eating grin. Dallas backhands my chest, but he's still laughing.

"At this point, I'd be worried if you didn't. You two have sure had enough fuckin' experience." Dallas looks over at his wife, who is trying to stop herself from giggling along.

"A lot of good fucking experience, I might add." We all turn to look over at Joli as she exits the bedroom, a small smirk playing on her lips. A huge fuckin' chill shoots through my spine as my eyes scan Jolene. I don't think I've ever seen her look more beautiful.

Joli's hair is a little more wavy tonight that it usually is, and honestly, it's stunning. She's been letting her dark locks grow out more as of late, and really, it's such a good look on her. As always, her makeup is done flawlessly, though the overall theme of it isn't different. A tiny little purse dangles by her hip; there's not a doubt in my mind that it's only able to hold her cigarettes and her lighter. Then again, what more does she need?

All my life I've heard men tell tales of seductive maidens in long black dresses, but until this moment, I never knew what they mean. But, as I look over the gorgeous woman in front of me, it's all clear to me. I would do anything at all that Jolene asked of me without a fucking second of hesitation. She could kick my ass around in those sexy little heels, too, and I wouldn't complain the least bit.

"Kevin?" Kim's voice snaps me back into reality. "Are you okay over there? I think you're drooling."

"The fuck?" I mutter, looking down towards my mouth as I move a hand up to wipe my lips. I shake my head at Kim when I don't find any saliva. "I wasn't drooling."

"No?" Kim giggles, "My mistake."

"If you're ready to go, Kev, we can head on out." Joli smiles up at me as she approaches, wrapping her slender little arms around my left one. If she's super nervous about all of this, she's hiding it well.

"Yeah, I'm good." I nod to my babe before turning to Dallas and Kim. "I guess we'll-"

"Now hold on a moment!" Kimberly throws her hands up. "I've got to get a picture of this."

As Kimberly scurries into the hotel room to grab a camera, I look down at Joli and jokingly tell her, "I feel like we're going to prom or something like that."

"First rule of prom, the over-protective big brother gets to drive his little sister and her hooligan date to the event." Dallas pipes in. He's got his hands on his hips and his lips are pulled into a flat line. "I don't think either of you would like that."

"Buzz off, Dally." Joli sticks her tongue out and Dallas. "Let us crazy kids have our fun!"

Dallas sighs dramatically. He watches Kim walk over beside of him before reluctantly telling us, "Okay, okay. But, Kevin?"

"Huh?" I chuckle.

"You'd better not keep her out too late. Midnight, at the latest." Dallas is trying his hardest not to laugh at himself, so I laugh for him.

"Okay. Okay. Whatever you say, big bro. I'll keep your lil sis safe." I wink at Dallas before softly kissing the top of Joli's head, making sure that I don't mess her hair up.

"I'm holding you to that."

"Enough, you two." Kimberly giggles. She motions for me and Joli to step back, so that we're against the wall opposite of their room. Where they're at the end of the hallway, there's a big blank space that works great as a backdrop. "Okay, I'm taking a few of these."

"What poses do you want, Kim?" Joli grins. That one, simple question sets us up for about twenty different shots.

I'm honestly glad that Kim takes as many pictures as she does, though. I'm sure she'll give me some copies of them, or at the very least, she'll give them to Joli. One day, if things go the way I hope I they will, I'll be able to completely fill my house up with pictures of me and Joli. I already have pa bunch there, but this is different. Even though Joli and I aren't technically together, and we're not technically going on a date, we're not at the same place we were this time last year.

Ah, I don't know. Maybe I'm just getting ahead of myself?

We part ways with Dallas and Kimberly, and on our way to the car, I walk with Joli's hand in mine. Everything about this just feels so right, even with my nerves the way they are. I know she has to have a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside of her, but she's hiding them so well. I guess that's really the big reason I'm so worried about messing this up; she's trusting me.

I open the car door for Joli and watch with a grin as she scoots into the passenger seat. I give her a little wink before closing the door and heading over to the driver's side. As I buckle up, I see her grabbing her cigarettes and her lighter from her purse.

I was right. That's all that could fit in there.

"You really do look drop-dead gorgeous tonight, Joli. I can't explain how fuckin' lucky I feel to be the one you're sharing your heart with. There's not a man on this planet who wouldn't be blessed to have you as his girl." I mean every word of what I tell Joli as I start the car up.

Once she's rolled the window down and lit her cigarette, she places one of her hands on the console in-between our seats. I keep one hand on the wheel, while moving my other to hold hers once more. We exchange a quick smile before she starts talking.

"I'm the lucky one, really. I mean that. You're willing to put up with all of my worries and my insecurities and my doubts. There aren't many men out there who would be willing to work with such a..." Joli pauses for a moment, trying to find the perfect way to describe herself.

"Such a what?" I jump in, lightly squeezing her hand. "Such a strong, intelligent, and caring woman? A woman who had been handed the shit end of the stick, but still came out on top?"

I have to spare another quick glance at Joli as I hear her choke softly. She instantly waves me away with her hand that holds her cigarette.

"I'm okay, babe. I'm okay." Her voice is a little shaky, but she sounds fine otherwise. "It's just... I never expected to have someone quite like you. Someone that genuinely cares so much for me."

"Jolene, I don't know what happened to you in your past, but I've got a feeling that it was something that most women don't come back from. Regardless of that, you've managed to push on and give yourself another chance to find love again. In my thirty-eight years of life, I've never encountered anyone quite like you. Baby, you stole my heart a long time ago. I'm not going anyway." I bring the hand of hers that I'm holding up to my lips and give it a kiss. "I love you."

Once again, I hear Joli start to choke up. She grabs tightly onto my hand and I hear her inhale deeply on her cigarette. After she blows her smoke out of the window, Joli clears her throat.

"I swear, every time you open your damn mouth you make me almost ruin my nice makeup." Joli chuckles softly. "I hate to cry. It's such an aggravating thing to do; it's messy and it usually gives me a headache. I try my best to avoid doing it. Yet... Yet you're just saying all of these right things, and you're just... just shattering all of these walls that I have."

"I really don't want you to cry, babe." I grin. "I'm just trying to let you know that I care a damn lot about you. I always have, and I always will."

We fall into some sort of silence on the remainder of the journey to the restaurant, but it's nothing bad. It happens mainly because I'm afraid of making my baby cry, and even if it's out of happiness, I don't think that's a good way to start a date. Man, dates are weird.

"You're a real gentleman, aren't you?" Joli smiles at me as I open up the car door for her. "Right off the bat, you're making one hell of a good impression."

"What?" I feign surprise as Joli wraps her arms around mine. "Hadn't I made a good impression on you before? That's harsh, babe."

"Shush. You're such an ass." Joli shakes her head and bumps me with her elbow nearest to my side.

"Isn't that why you love me?" I coo.

"That's exactly it, Kev. You got it." Joli tells me with this cute little roll of her eyes. I tear my arm away from hers for just a moment as we walk, so that I can smack her ass. She sends me a smirk as I do so, something that I happily return.

The restaurant I've brought us to isn't necessarily the most busy, but it's one I'm familiar with. It's a little local place, with a nice atmosphere and food that is fuckin' bomb. I've not been here in a couple of years, and I'm not sure if Joli's ever stopped by. But, it's a beautiful place, and they have a smoking section, so I'm sure she'll love it.

We're seated in the back of the restaurant, on the smoking side. It's fairly empty, for it to be a Friday night, but that's fine with me. It'll give us a bit more privacy that way. We make small talk as wait on our drinks to arrive, and once we give our food orders, we find ourselves in silence once again.

This time, though, I'm just looking at my alluring girl. Everything about Jolene Alice Milford is perfect, and I dare someone to try and convince me otherwise. I'm honestly so baffled by the fact that there is son-of-a-bitch out there that had the nerve to do wrong by her. She's such a wonderful person, both in personality and appearance; I love her with every fiber of my being.

After a moment, Joli starts to fidget in her seat. She begins to swirl her finger around the bottom of her glass, her eyes locked mindlessly on her wine. I frown and reach a hand out, carefully intertwining her fingers with mine.

"Everything okay, Joli?" I ask, trying to figure her out. "If you're having second doubts, we-"

"No, Kev, I promise, I'm okay." Joli shuts me down immediately. "I'm just..." She then shakes her head, a small laugh escaping her lips in the process. "It's just coming to my attention that I don't have the slightest idea how I'm supposed to be on a date, even if it's... unofficial." The way she says that makes me know she wants to say this is official, but her heart won't allow her to. "The sincerity in your tone and actions has already made this the most amazing date that I've ever been on, but this is like foreign territory for me."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm just about as lost as you are." I admit, bursting into a grin. "You think I've been on a real date in the past, shit, eight? Nine years? Hell no!"

Joli and I both laugh. "It's always been a lot easier for both of us to just hit it and quit it, huh?"

"Definitely. Or fuck, in our case, just hit it and keep it simple." I smile and look down at our hands. "But, I've got to be quite honest with you, Joli. I like us this way a lot more."

"As do I." Joli smiles, placing her other hand atop of mine. "I just can't thank you enough for putting up with me during this awkward time, where I'm doing everything I can to figure out my feelings and emotions. I truly do love you, Kevin."

Every single time I hear Joli tell me she loves me, I feel the need to fuckin' pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. She's too damn good for me.

"You've got some shit you've got to work through, and I understand that. It's not an easy journey for you, but it isn't one you have to go through alone. I love you, too, and that's why I'm going to be here for you through thick and thin. When you're ready to be mine, you will be. Our future is as bright as the top of Hulk's shiny-ass head."

I give Joli a grin in an attempt to soothe her, but regardless, tears begin to swell in her beautiful green eyes. I slip my free hand under the table and place it on her leg, rubbing it gently. I feel her flinch at my touch before subconsciously relaxing and welcoming it. However, Joli playfully glares at me and shakes her head.

"What kind of girl do you take me for, Nash?" Joli gingerly scolds. "Do you think I put out on the first date?" I honestly can't help but laugh, even though she manages to keep this faux-serious expression on her face.

"I just wanted to stop you from crying, but I mean, if you're offering..."

"I'm a proper young woman who would never consider such a thing! Sex? So early on? Why, I never..." Joli gets about halfway through a sigh before completely breaking and erupting into full-blown laughter. "Fucking hell, I tried to make a joke out of that, but come on. That was too much."

"You're something else, you know that?" I tell her as I grab my wine glass.

"Ah, but babe," Joli grins, "isn't that why you love me?"

"Using my own words against me. I see you, Joli." She giggles. "But, that's it. You got it."

As I watch Joli laugh from across the table, I can't help but smile. There's this feeling in my gut, which is like a voice in my head telling me these simple little things. It's saying, don't lose her. Don't fuck this up. I'd been nervous earlier, but now it's as if everything is falling into place.

I know in my heart that this is just the first of many dates between me and my girl, and one day, no matter how far in the future, we'll make our relationship official. Until that day, I'll just wait, and give her a little more of myself with each and every passing moment.

Jolene, you are one hell of a woman.

Chapter 33: together

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"Oh my God, that was the most painful plane ride that I've ever experienced. Please, next time we fly, promise me that we're not going to have to go through that shit again."

As soon as I hear that familiar, whiny voice from across the room, I whip my head around. Sure enough, Shawn's clinging to Paul's shoulder, complaining endlessly about the ride they just finished.

I look back over at my group for a moment, but I roll my eyes once I realize they're all asleep. Joli's laying with her head on Kev's arm, and he looks like he's about to snap in half, because he's bending so far back over the seat. Kid? He's halfway in the floor, from sliding in his chair. Since Kid is the closest to me, I smack him as I stand up.

"They're here!" I tell Kid as he jumps. I hear him land on the floor with a thud as I dart over to meet Shawn and Paul. "Hey guys!"

"SCOTT!" Shawn greets me enthusiastically. He throws his bags at Paul before wrapping his arms around my neck and kissing the air beside both of my cheeks. "Oh, I've missed you, buddy!"

"Fuck off, Shawn!" I laugh as I shove him back. "I've missed you too, dummy."

"Take your shit back." Paul rolls his eyes as he returns Shawn's bags to him. "Hey, Scott."

"Hey." I send Paul a grin as Shawn begrudgingly accepts his baggage. Damn, this feels good! It's been way too fuckin' long since the whole Kliq got together.

"Where are the rest of our friends?" Shawn sighs. "You know, the ones that actually like me? The ones that won't shove me away or hit me with my bags?"

"Shawn, I never- You know what, never mind." Paul pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head.

"They're over-"

"KEV! KID! JOLI! THERE YOU FUCKERS ARE!" Shawn cuts me off as he yells and runs towards the three lazy bastards. Paul and I watch in amusement as Shawn leaps right into Kev's arms. Kev doesn't push him away; instead, he wraps an arm around his waist and starts ruffling his hair. He goes to kiss Kev, but stops himself.

"Do you see this guy?" Paul laughs. "Can you believe him?"

It's honestly pretty funny watching Shawn jump out of Kev's arms. The area has started bustling and booming, so I can't hear what's going on, but it looks like Shawn's trying to convince Joli to kiss Kev in his place. There's a lot of pointing going on, and it looks like Joli might be trying to get Kid involved in this weird little thing? I don't know.

"He's a sight. I've missed Shawn, though. He's the kind of goof that you can't replace." I chuckle. Shawn's a good guy, deep down.

"Definitely." Paul nods and then looks over at me. His eyes are narrowed, and I can tell he's really studying me. I don't like it.

"What is it, man?" I ask.

"How've you been, Scott? Like, truly. Don't bullshit me. Are you doing okay?" I don't think that the lobby of an airport is the best place to talk about my life, and if it were anyone aside from Paul asking, I'd give them a smartass response. I trust Paul, though. He's good.

"I've had some rough spots, man. I'd be lying if I told you I was completely fine all the time, because I'm not." It's hard to admit, but it's the truth. I turn my attention back to our friends, who still seem to be laughing and fucking around with each other.

"How have you been handling..." Paul nods over towards Kev and Joli, a neutral expression on his face. "You know."

"Honestly? It's hard sometimes. I'm happy for them, I really am." I frown at Paul. "Please, don't think for a second that I want anything less than the best for those two. I love them both, just in different ways." My shoulders slump. I hate talking about this, but again, I just trust Paul so damn much. "I wish Joli had chosen me, but I know that's not possible now. She and Kev are completely in love."

This is the first time I've ever really admitted that, and it burns. I want to lie and say it doesn't, but I can't really deny the truth on this. I guess there is always going to be this little part of me that wants Joli, but I've accepted that she'd rather be with Kev. I'm okay with that. I really am.

"You've just got to let her go, man." Paul pats my back. "But listen, now's not the time for all this. I don't want to kill your mood when just met up. If you need me, though, let me know, okay? We can sneak off and talk all you want."

"I appreciate that, man." I grin at Paul. "I really do."

Paul nods back at me before pointing to our friends once more. They're all looking towards us and talking. Shawn's somehow made it onto Kev's back in the few seconds I wasn't looking, and it looks like Kid is carrying his shit. Really, I'm not all that surprised.

"We'd probably better go catch up with everyone." Paul chuckles.

"I'd say that's a good idea." I agree, leading the way. As soon as we get close, I hear Shawn sigh in relief.

"Awesome! Great! Can we all go back to the house, now? Please?" Shawn whines. "I'm tired."

"We all finally get a chance to hang out together and all this guy does is bitch and moan." Joli shakes her head in a disapproving manner. "And to think, you were so excited to see us."

"Ah, it's okay, guys. If he falls asleep too early, we can just take him out in the woods and leave him there. He'll never find his way home." Kev jokes, turning his head so that he can look towards Shawn. "Then again, we might hear him bitchin' from a distance, and the last thing we need is to not be able to shut him up."

"I don't even know why I agreed to come here in the first place! Wow." Shawn buries his face against Kev's back, muttering something that I can't quite understand.

"Huh? What're you mumbling about over there?" I ask with a laugh.

Shawn turns, so that his cheek is resting against Kev's back. "Oh, nothing."

"It must've been something." Joli adds as she rubs her thumb along the car key in her hand.

"You all really want to know?" I exchange glances with everyone before I shrug and reply to Shawn.

"Nah, not really." When Shawn growls under his breath, I grin. That's the exact reaction I was looking for.

"Maybe, just maybe, all of you jerks wouldn't be so cruel if you just got laid every now and then!" Shawn exclaims rather loudly. Passerby's stare at us with curious expressions.

"That's it." Kev sighs. "That was your big mistake."

"What?" Shawn questions curiously. "My big-"

Shawn cuts himself off with a yelp as Kev lets him drop to the floor. We all laugh and watch as Shawn rubs his ass, which is surely rather chapped after taking an unexpected bump like that. Kid nudges me and then nods towards the entrance way.

"So guys, ready to head back to Kev's place?" Kid asks.

"Yeah, sounds good to me." Paul smiles.

"I'm cool with that." Kev shrugs. "We'll go get some drinks and shit set up for the rest of the evening."

"It'll be nice." I add.

Shawn doesn't catch back up to us until we've all loaded up into Kev's big ass van. I'm sitting behind Joli, and Kid is to my right. Paul sits beside him. Shawn frantically opens Paul's door right as Joli clicks her seatbelt in.

"Oh, there you are, Shawn. Hop on in the back." Joli points towards the large trunk with her thumb.

"You've got to be kidding me, girly. I'm not riding in the damn trunk like a monkey!" Shawn protests.

"Why wouldn't I be serious?" Joli frowns. "You snooze, you lose. You might have been able to get a seat if you'd gotten here sooner, but you took your time. That's on you."

"I took my time because your cruel boyfriend dropped me on my ass!" Shawn objects. "Why can't we put him in the back?"

"One, I'm technically not her boyfriend, yet, and two," Kev laughs and shakes his head as he turns around from the passenger seat, "I'd like to fuckin' see you try to get my ass back there. Besides, this is my fuckin' car."

"... Come on, guys! This isn't fair!" Shawn stomps a foot on the ground like a child. "Kid, you get in the trunk."

"What?!" Kid leans over so that he can look past Paul. "Why me?!"

"Because you're the smallest one of us, aside from Joli." Shawn states simply.

"I'm driving, so don't even try to get me in on this." Joli tells Kid, looking at him in the rear-view mirror.

"B-But! No!" Kid protests. "I'm not doing it."

"You sure?" Paul smirks, unbuckling Kid. "Look, you're ready to hop on back."

"Guys..." Kid groans. "I don't want to."

"Tough luck, buttercup! I'm not doing it, so someone else has to." Shawn grins as Kid reluctantly climbs over the backseat and into the trunk area. Paul scoots over beside of me while Shawn happily takes Paul's former place.

"Wow," I laugh as Shawn gets comfortable, "Shawn Michaels can even politic his way into getting a seat in the car."

"You Kliq boys are too much." Joli stifles a laugh as she starts to drive off.

"You love us, though!" Kev pats her knee. "For some reason or another."

We're about halfway back to Kev's house when Paul gets a little smirk on his face and leans forward, so that he's between Kev and Joli. He rests one arm against each of their seats, but he looks towards Joli.

"May I help you, Paul?" Joli asks as she takes an exit. "You've never invaded my personal space like this before." Kev doesn't say anything, he just reaches over and pokes Paul between the eyes.

Paul huffs at Kev's action before asking Joli in the most over-exaggerated, nicest tone he can muster, "I was just wondering, when are we going to get there?"

"I don't know, it's probably, what, ten minutes away now?" Joli spares a quick glance at Kev.

Kev nods, glancing at Paul over his shoulder. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Oh, okay." Paul grins as he sits back down. "You see, I was just a little curious, because it seems like we should've arrived already."

"You sound like you're trying to start shit, Paul." Joli clears her throat. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"I'm sorry," Paul apologizes fakely, "I just didn't expect to be chauffeured by a grandma. I was under the impression that you were only about, what, thirty? But it seems you're a hell of a lot older than that."

He's obviously just yanking her chain, and it's so damn funny. Joli scoffs from the front seat, and I can see her glare from the rear-view mirror. Of course, things only get worse when Shawn pipes in.

"I guess it's better for Kev to be a grave-robber than a cradle-robber, eh?"

"Fuck off!" Joli laughs. "I don't drive that slowly!"

"You do." Paul sighs. "It's a shame."

"In fact, I'd say you moved more quickly that time we stayed with you a few months back." Shawn added.

"Damn, man! That one was cold." I shake my head at Shawn. Come on, man!

"Watch it." Kev warns.

"What? Too far?" Shawn pouts.

"Yes. Definitely." The way Joli says that proves that she wasn't phased by the joke in the least bit. But, based on the look Shawn gives in response, it's obvious he doesn't realize that. Then again, who can blame him? He doesn't her as well as Kev and I do, or hell, even as well as Kid does.

"Aw. I'm sorry." Shawn frowns as he leans towards Joli. "How can I ever gain your forgiveness?"

"Hmm..." Joli hums as she taps the steering wheel with her thumbs, killing time and making Shawn sweat it out. "I really don't know."

"Joli, come on, I really didn't mean it." Shawn groans, gripping tightly onto her seat. After a moment, he turns to Kev. "Kev, I didn't mean to... Man, you know that, right? How do I fix this?"

"You're the one that went and pissed her off, bro. That's on you." Kev just fuckin' shrugs and it takes everything in me not to burst into laughter. I can faintly hear Kid snicker from his position in the back.

"Joli, we were just joking around. We all always do that shit." Paul jumps in. His eyebrows are furrowed, and I can tell he's trying to come up with some way to resolve the problem simply. "He's sorry."

"I know he is, but he was an ass." Joli sighs.

"I was." Shawn agrees. "I definitely was."

Joli nods and then remains quiet for a few minutes. Shawn and Paul chatter nervously to one another as we continue the drive to Kev's house. Once we get there and start exiting the car, Shawn instantly runs over to the driver's side. He opens the door for Joli as she's unbuckling her seatbelt.

"For you, m'lady." Shawn bows. I can't fuckin' handle this anymore. I just start cackling as Kid tries to crawl out of the trunk area, nearly knocking me in the head in the process.

"Aw, aren't you just the sweetest?" Joli gives Shawn the most devious of smiles. "Try to mock me again, jackass. I fuckin' dare both of you." She looks over at Paul as he approaches her and raises a middle finger the two of them.

The look of realization on their faces when they realize they were played is priceless. Their jaws drop for just a moment, but then, in the blink of an eye, they exchange these impressed nods.

"Not bad, Joli." Shawn applauds. "Not bad at all."

"You like a lady with a real smart ass, don't you, big guy?" Paul chuckles, sending Kev a grin.

Kev drapes an arm around Joli's shoulder before placing a big kiss on the side of her head. "You fuckin' know it!"

I try to ignore the little twinge of jealousy that shoots through me every single time I see them do something cute like that, but it's hard sometimes, you know? I'm happy for them, I am, but I still love Joli more than I should.

Ah well. Fuck it! All of my boys are here! Now isn't the time to be like this.

Throughout the rest of the day, we all sit around Kev's place and just do the dumbest shit. By the time night falls, we're all fuckin' plastered. It's been so damn long since all six of us got together that we've just thrown all caution to the wind.

I look out on the porch from my position on the couch and watch Joli and Kev stumble around with one another. I don't really know what they're doing, but it looks like Kev's trying to get Joli's lighter from her. It's probably because she's unable to stand on her own, and she probably doesn't need to be smoking right now.

That's not to say that smoking has ever been good for her, but really, who am I to judge? I'd done a lot worse than that in my life.

"Scott." I look around when I hear Paul say my name. "In the floor." I look down and see him perfectly stretched out beside of the couch, with his arms behind his head. Huh.

"Oh. Hey, man." I drunkenly wave.

"Hand me a beer." Paul instructs, pointing to the cans at the foot of the couch.

"Yup." I mutter, forcing myself up. I snag him a drink before dropping back into my previous position. My back smacks the couch, but I don't care. "Catch."

Paul lets out a grunt to let me know that he's listening, so I drop the can down to him. The satisfying sound of the beer cracking open makes me want another; I just don't feel like getting up. Fuck.

"So, Scott." I turn my head to look at Paul. "You know you're fuckin' great, right?"

"Of course I know that." I joke. "I'm the fuckin' bomb, man."

"I'm being serious, dickbag." Paul punches the absolute fuck out of my arm. "You're damn amazing."

"I appreciate the boost of confidence, man." At this point in my night, I don't know if I believe him or not. My mind is just fuckin' swirling. "You're not too damn bad yourself."

"Just listen to me, okay?" Paul sounds a little frustrated. "I don't want you to feel bad because of, uh..." He trails off as he motions out towards Joli and Kev. At this point, Joli is leaning against Kev and he's completely keeping her on her feet. It looks like he's moving her damn cigarette for her, since she's so damn wobbly.

That's love.

Why does it hurt so much for me to think that? Ugh.

"Man, I don't even want to talk about that right now." I mutter, forcing my ass up just long enough to snag another beer. "I'm happy for them."

"All right, all right. I just wanted to check on you, because I wasn't really sure how you felt earlier. You're my fuckin' pal, man, and you're fuckin' great." Paul pats my shoulder before laughing rather loudly. "God, I'm drunk."

"Nah shit." I chuckle. Paul and I fall into silence for a moment, before we hear a loud thud from across the house.

"FUCK!" Shawn screams. "KID!"

"Man, I'm sorry!" Kid yells frantically. "Sorry!"

"If either of you fuckers break anything, I'm kicking your asses!" Kev tells them. "You break it, you fuckin' buy it!"

"Okay!" Shawn and Kid reply simultaneously. They sound so fuckin' scared, it's hilarious.

You know, I really needed today. This has been fun. If only we could all get together everyday.

"FUCK!" Calm down, Kid.

"KID, COME ON, MAN!" Shawn, don't yell...

"You're both fuckin' dead!" I mean, you have every reason to be upset Kev, but...

"KID DID IT!"

"DID NOT!"

"DID TOO!"

... You know what? Never mind. Maybe it is better to at least handle Shawn and Kid in small, quiet doses.

Chapter 34: time will tell

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

"One! Two! Three! WE HAVE NEW WCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS! THE STEINER BROTHERS HAVE DEFEATED THE OUTSIDERS!"

As soon as the match ends, I throw my hands up into the air and scream. I'm honestly not all that phased by my boys losing their titles for a few months, but I can't let the crowd know that. They have to believe I'm absolutely furious.

Kev is laying somewhere on the ground, on the other side of the ring. Scott is groaning in the ring, trying to comprehend what just happened. Me? I'm now stomping around by the steps, looking as pissed-off as I possibly can.

The match was a good one. Rick and Scott Steiner are good competition for my Outsiders.

Rick slides back into the ring and celebrates his championship win with his brother while our Scott rolls out of it and lands down beside of me. I place a hand on Scott's shoulder and send him a sympathetic look before rushing up the steps and grabbing onto the ropes.

As I yell back and forth with the referee and the Steiner Bros, I see Kev stumble over to Scott out of the corner of my eye. They're selling their injuries perfectly, and I think I'm doing a pretty damn good job playing my role.

I fake an apology to the referee before carefully making my way into the ring. I saunter over to the Steiner Brothers and give them these sexy little smiles, obviously just trying to seduce them into giving me their tag titles. However, nothing goes according to my plan; the brothers just shake their heads, laugh, and kiss their new titles right in my face.

The crowd roars as I try and rip the titles out of their hands, only to be pulled back by the referee. I scuffle around with the ref and the Steiners for a few moments before leaving the ring with a scowl on my face.

Kev and I flank Scott's sides as we head backstage. The reactions from our fans never cease to amaze me. We're so over, it's fucking ridiculous. They're excited for the Steiner Brothers, but it's obviously that they're still so fond of The Outsiders. It's wonderful.

"Fuck! That was fun, wasn't it?" Kev huffs as soon as we're past gorilla. "I'm going to miss those titles, though."

"It was pretty nice. They'll be back before too long, though." Scott grins, placing a sweaty hand on Kev's back.

They're both pretty drained, but who can blame them? This may have been a Nitro match, but they had as much time as they would've at a Pay-Per-View. Tonight was a big match for The Steiner Brothers, even if they'll just be dropping the belts back to Kev and Scott in a few months.

I love being able to walk my two favorite people out to the ring each night and stand beside of them as we entertain the world. I'm blessed.

"I'm ready for a damn shower, though. Fuck." Kev chuckles as he runs a hand over his face. He places a kiss on the top of my head and then sends me a smile. "The invitation to join me is there, if you want to take it."

Scott throws up a hand to wave us off and then heads on back to the locker room without a word. Kev and I both watch him go, but once he's out of sight Kev just shrugs and turns back to me.

"Maybe next time." I grin up at Kev, placing one of my hands on his sweaty face. His beard feels so odd when it's drenched in sweat, but I can't help but my run my fingers along it. "I'll take a rain check this time."

"Just let me know when you want to cash that in." Kev winks at me and then lets out a long, tired sigh. "I'll catch up with you in a few minutes, babe. I guess you'll go change and meet up with Kim?"

"Isn't that how it always goes?" I teasingly smirk up at Kev. He places a sweet kiss on my forehead before smacking my ass and heading towards our locker room. I follow him and grab my bag of clothes; once I have that, I part ways with Kev and head off to change. I drop my gear back off with the rest of our shit before I begin the hunt for my favorite female.

After searching for several minutes, I find Kim at catering, with an apple in one hand a pen in the other. We spot each other at about the same time, and we exchange smiles as I make my way over to her. I take a seat on the opposite side of the table from my sister and then fold my arms across the table.

"'Evening, Joli. You look like you're in a rather good mood considering your boys dropped their titles tonight." Kim greets me and then takes a bite out of her apple. She sits her pen down next to a piece of paper on the table, and naturally, my curiosity gets the better of me.

"Well, it's only for a few months. I know everything will be back the way it should be soon, with Scott and Kev on top of the tag title scene." I grin at Kim before nodding to the paper on the table. "What're you writing about?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Kimberly's innocent voice doesn't fool me. "It's just something for a little bet between Page and I."

Instead of asking another question, I reach forward to grab the paper off the table. Unfortunately, Kim saw that coming, and she's able to snatch it away from me before I have the chance to get it. I pout and cross my arms over my chest.

"What's so important that you can't share it with me?" I whine. "What are you two betting on?"

"Like I said, it's nothing." Kim smiles. "Just some harmless fun."

"Doesn't seem too harmless." I narrow my eyes. "You can't sneak anything past me, sis."

"I'm not trying to do anything like that." Kim protests. "I swear."

"Bullshit." I sigh. "Bullshit."

"You really want to know?" Dally cackles as he approaches us, carrying a few bottles of water. He sits one down for me and then one for Kim before opening one for himself. "We're making bets on you and Kevin."

I instantly pout and grab my drink. "What do you mean? What about us are you betting on?"

"You didn't have to tell her." Kim scoffs before sending me an apologetic smile. "We were just taking bets on when the two of you would become official."

"And exactly when are you two saying this will happen?" I can't help but laugh at this. A real relationship is something I'm growing closer and closer to each day, but for the life of me, I don't know when I'll be ready for it. It could be tomorrow, it could be several months down the line.

"I'm thinking it'll be-" Dallas cuts off when he catches a glimpse of something over to the side. "Speak of the fuckin' devil..." He bursts into a grin and the starts waving, so I turn around and follow his eyes. Sure enough, my eyes land on Kev.

"What're you three up to over here?" Kev asks with a sexy grin as he joins us. "Or do I even want to know?"

"We're not up to much of anything. Just catching up on all the latest bullshit my big brother and his lovely gal have been up to." I reply, smiling up at Kev. He walks behind me and places his hands on my shoulders, massaging the area rather gently. I relax into it.

"I can only imagine what kind of shit it is, with this crazy fucker involved." He comments, referring to Dallas. Kev's laugh still sounds tired, but he's obviously much more energized now than he was right after the match.

"Really, Kim, why do we even bother with these two?" Dally sighs. "They're asses."

"You must really have an ass fixation then, brother, because you've kept us around for quite a while." I joke, making Kim giggle. Dally shakes his head at me, but he's smiling.

"I don't know which one of you is worse some days." Dally chuckles as he places a hand on Kev's back. "I guess that's what makes you two so good for each other."

"Isn't he the sweetest little thing?" Kev playfully nudges Dally before giving my shoulders a quick squeeze and pulling back. I instinctively pout at the loss of contact, but as soon as I turn around to look up at my babe, I see him pull my cigarettes and lighter out of his pocket. I perk up instantly. "You ready to go, Joli?"

"I guess so. Is Kid done chatting with Bischoff?" I ask as I stand up and snatch my smokes. "I know he went to talk to him before the tag title match, but he always keeps him for so damn long. I know I wouldn't want to be stuck alone with that dick." I shudder.

"Yeah, Kid's done. He and Scott are loading our shit up." As Kev replies to me, I get a cigarette out of my carton and place it behind my ear. I then slide the box into my pocket, keeping my lighter in my right hand. "He actually showed up right when you left to go change. He seems to be in an okay mood, too, which is good."

"I'm glad to hear that, at least." I smile before turning to Kim and Dally. "We'll see you guys later!"

"Don't forget that shitty meeting we've all got in the morning." Dally tells us as he wraps an arm around Kim's shoulder. "Eric wants all of us big names there."

I groan at the thought. "How could I forget?" I scoff before going into my best fuckin' Eric impersonation. I grin really fuckin' wide and point to my cheeks, just like he does. Making my voice sound like his is a little harder. "'You four had better be at the meeting hall at seven A.M. sharp, ready and willing to create! We've got to come up with big plans for the future!'" I gag. "God, he's the worst."

"Never do that again, oh my God." Kev laughs and hugs me. "You're crazy."

"You're the one that loves me." I shrug nonchalantly. "For some reason or another."

"You're damn right I do." Kev chuckles and then waves at Dallas and Kim. "Later, you two."

"Bye, guys!" Kim smiles.

We meet back up with Scott and Kid at our rental. Kid's in the driver's seat and Scott's in the passenger seat, so Kev and I slide into the back. I buckle up and roll down my window before moving my cigarette to my mouth and lighting it up.

"It's so weird to see you guys without the tag titles." Kid comments with a small laugh as he starts to drive. "Like, you guys have had those things the majority of the past year."

"Ah, we'll have them back before too much longer." Scott chimes in happily. "It's not too bad."

"That's just how it goes." Kev chuckles. "I'm just glad they're finally starting to give us some plans for the near future, instead of always looking down the line. It doesn't matter how good the blow off is if the build is shit."

"Absolutely. It's such a strange change, considering that for the longest time after you boys came in, it was all about the current moment. Eric and the rest of creative didn't give two shits about the future, as long as what we were doing then and there brought eyes to us." I shrug as I smoke. "Ah, but what do I know about booking?"

"You know more than most people do, babe." Kev laughs. "Eric's made some pretty shitty decisions."

"At least our company's shit has made sense for the most part. I don't know what's going on half the time over there in Vince's world." Scott adds. "But you know, that's another story for another day."

It definitely is.

I feel like big changes are coming to WCW, but I just can't place my finger on when or where they'll happen. But hey, I guess only time will tell how this all plays out.

Chapter 35: pretty okay

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to go with you, man? We don't care at all to go with your ass to pick that shit up." I look over at Scott as he ties his shoes and then stands up straight. He pops his back with a grunt before waving a hand over at me and Kid dismissively.

"Nah, it's fine. I'm really just wanting some fresh air. Besides, never know who I'll run into." Scott grins as he grabs the keys from the desk. "I might find me a pretty lady to hook up with on the way back."

"Just don't take too long bringing those drinks back, all right? We need our booze." I joke, making all of us laugh.

"Besides, you know Joli will whine if there's not any booze when she gets here. And when Joli whines, we all whine." Kid adds playfully.

"Oh, that's the damn truth." Scott agrees, shaking his head. "I'll try to be back in about forty-five minutes to an hour, okay?" I nod. "So just drinks, snacks, and some of Joli's shitty cigs, right?"

"You got it, brother." I grin at Scott. "Thanks again."

"No problem." Scott chuckles, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'll see you boys later."

"See ya." Kid smiles.

As soon as the door closes behind Scott, Kid lets out a loud groan and slides down on their bed. He lays on his back and folds his arms behind his head, making himself comfortable as he stares up at the ceiling. I get up and grab a bottle of water from one of my bags, and as I open it up to take a drink, Kid starts talking.

"I know we don't really have many deep conversations, big guy, but I just wanted to check in on you and see how you're doing. You know, just to make sure you're doing all right."

There's not a doubt in my mind that Kid knows I'm doing just fine, but I'm smart enough to realize that's probably his way of wanting me to check in on him. But, I also know better than to call him on that, so if he wants to talk about me for a while, that's fine, too.

"Lately, things have been pretty damn good for me, man. I feel like Joli and I are really growing closer and it's the best feeling in the world. I didn't realize that love was such a powerful thing, Kid, but it is. I never thought that settling down and giving my everything to one woman could bring so much joy into my life." I'm being completely honest. My little Joli is my life.

Kid isn't looking over at me, but I can see a big fuckin' grin come onto his lips. "Yeah, I figured as much. You two are pretty damn cute together, you know that?" I automatically laugh.

"Me? Oh, there's not a damn thing that's cute about me." I jokingly scoff as I sit back down on mine and Joli's bed. "But God, Joli can be fuckin' adorable. She's perfect."

"You're really damn lucky to have her." Oh, I completely agree, Kid. I am. "I don't think there's a more beautiful woman in our industry with as good of a personality as Joli. Most chicks around here are either hot or fun, rarely ever both."

"You're right. There's not a guy in the wrestling world that wouldn't fuckin' jump at the opportunity to have Joli as their girl." She's the most wonderful human being I've ever met. "I'm not going to ever fuck things up with her, not if I can help it."

Kid lets out a small little chuckle before saying, "I really am happy for you two, Kev. I want the best for you and Joli."

"Thanks, man." I do appreciate it, Kid. I really do.

Kid turns his head so that he can look over at me, and he gives me a little smile. "Hey, do you think you're close to finally dating her yet?"

"Honestly?" I chuckle and shrug. "I don't know. I'm making progress with her, definitely, but I'm not sure when she'll be ready for it. We've still not even talked about her past marriage, but then again, I don't know if she'll want to talk about that before or after we get together."

"I'm sure it won't be too much longer, man. You two are basically already there. It seems like she's just got to be able to be okay with saying she's in a relationship."

"It's hard for her, and I get that. I respect her wishes though, so the pace is hers to set." I can't help but smile like a fool, just talking about my future with Joli. I know we've got good things ahead of us, no matter how rocky the road to get there may be.

"I'm glad that the two of you have each other. You're good for one another." Kid smiles back at me before a sadder, more serious look comes to his face. I raise a brow at him, and he instantly tries to play it off with a grin.

"Kid?" He hums in response. "How have you been doing, brother? Like you said, we don't usually have deep conversations like this. Tell me about yourself, man."

He's quiet for a moment as his smile once more fades away. Before Kid speaks again, he releases a heavy sigh and sits up. He also runs both of his hands across his face, rubbing and stretching his skin in the process.

"I've been doing pretty okay, Kev. I've been doing pretty okay." That sounds like a nice way of saying you've not been good at all. "I mean, things haven't necessarily been the best, but I think I'm fine."

"You don't sound very sure of yourself over there, Kid." I chuckle softly, trying to lighten the mood somewhat. "You can talk to me, if you want. I'll do whatever I can to help you, but you've got to let me in. I can't do anything at all if I don't know what's going on."

Kid sighs and looks over at me, but his bushy hair is covering most of his face, so it's hard for me to really look him in the eyes. I can tell he's wanting to say so much to me, but it's just escaping him. I don't know what I need to say to him to get him to fully lighten up and let me in on his situation.

"You remember Joli's return, and how bad I was that night?" I mean, that's kind of a hard thing to forget, but I don't say that. I just nod. "Uh... That wasn't necessarily the first night that I'd been really fucked up in a while." He pauses to inhale and then exhale a large breath. "I know I said I'd get clean when I joined WCW, and for the longest time, I was. It's just..."

"Kid, buddy..." I sigh, looking over at my friend with both concern and disappointment. "You've got to get some help. You can't keep going down this road. Not again."

"I know, man, I know..." Kid drops his head. "I'm trying. I mean, I'm not really trying as hard as I should be, but I'm trying nonetheless."

I wish I had noticed that he wasn't in the best state of mind, or rather, that he had become so bad off. I knew he wasn't doing well, but...

"How often are you doing shit? And how bad is what you're doing?" I clear my throat, looking over at Kid with a stern expression. "You're usually rather clear-headed when you're with us, so I'm assuming you do it when we're not around, like when you're alone at your house."

He's uncomfortable talking about this, I can easily tell that by the way he's fidgeting. I want to help him as much as I can, but it's so hard to help someone who doesn't want it. Yet, I know Kid wants to talk to me. He's just struggling to do so.

"It's not... It's not all the time. It's like... I don't know, maybe once a week that I really get fucked?" Kid sighs. "I'm sorry, Kev. I don't always want to do it, but uh..." As soon as it looks like I'm getting somewhere with Kid, he shakes his head and stops himself. "Don't worry about it."

"Get help, Kid." I tell him in as soft of a tone as I can manage. "Okay? I don't want you to get so bad off again. You know that shit isn't good for you. I love you, brother." Kid smiles weakly at me.

"I love you too, man. Thank you."

"All right, I know you're probably done talking about this for now, but I'll leave it at this: If you need someone, please, come fucking get me. Or Paul. Or maybe Joli." Preferably me or Paul. "We'll help you as much as we can. I promise."

I wish I could tell him to go to Scott and Shawn, but I know that's just not the best idea. Not a single one of them has a good record, and the last thing I'd ever want is for them to all get together and do some stupid shit.

There's little I want more than for all of my boys to be happy and healthy. Joli is naturally at the top of my priority list, but right below her are four of the most badass dudes that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. My Kliq brothers are fucking great and I look forward to the day where we're all able to just relax together and not worry that one of us is going to ruin his life in the upcoming days.

Kid, please, listen to me just this once. Get the help you need before it's too late.

"Okay." Kid nods after a moment. "Thank you, man. I'm glad you're always so level-headed, because God knows I never am." He chuckles, pushing his hair out of his face as he does so.

"Never sell yourself short. I mean, you yourself are short, but you've got a damn good heart." I send Kid a joking grin. He playfully pouts and crosses his arms over his chest.

"It's not my fault that you're a fuckin' giant! We can't all be as tall as you." I laugh at that.

"You're right." I smirk. "Someone has to wait for me to reach all the shit on the top shelf."

Kid chucks a pillow at me, but I catch it with ease and just sit it down with the rest of my pillows. "More for me." I smugly shrug before laying down.

"Hey! Not fair!" Kid whines. "Man..."

"Don't throw your pillows at me if you don't want me to keep them." I tease. "What did you expect?"

"Uh... I don't know. Pillow fight?" Kid grins.

"Nah. I'm too tired to whoop your ass this evening." I tell him as I stretch out. "Maybe some other time."

"Are you too tired to, or are you worried you can't?" I give him points for trying here.

"You're not going to sucker me into this. I'm wise to your tricks." I comment as I close my eyes. I can't help but smile when I hear Kid huff.

I've almost nodded off when I hear a knock at the door. I crack an eye open and look over at it, before looking at Kid. Thankfully, he's already up and moving to go let whoever it is in.

"Oh, hey, Joli!" Kid greets happily. I instantly sit up on the bed, blinking so that I can force myself to wake up more. "How was the ride with Dallas and Kim?"

"It would've been fine, if Dally hadn't drunk a whole fuckin' gallon of water right before we left. It felt like we were stopping every fifteen minutes so that he could piss." Her laugh is so intoxicating, far more so than any alcohol I've ever drank. "I tried to sleep, but every time I fell asleep, we'd stop and I'd wake up. Eventually, I just kicked Dallas into the back and rode shotgun while Kim drove."

"Wow." Kid laughs as the two of them walk over to the beds. As Joli sits her bags down, he nudges her and points her in my direction. "Meanwhile, I've been stuck here alone with this asshole. He wouldn't have a pillow fight with me. Can you believe him?"

"In my defense, I didn't want to have to whoop his ass." I lazily tell my babe while shooting her a grin.

"As if!" Kid sticks his tongue out at me.

Joli looks between me and Kid for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly and returning her attention to her bags. "I don't really see your problem, Kid. I mean, I would've thought you'd want to spare yourself the embarrassment of getting knocked into the hotel wall again. Or, did you forget about that big hole you left in that little town a few weeks back?"

I can't help but laugh as I recall the event Joli's talking about. Scott and Kid had tried to take us on in a pillow war, but of course, we'd won. They forfeited once I knocked Kid off their bed with a big pillow to his head, and as he fell, he flung his arms out and punched a hole through one of the walls. We were luckily able to scoot the bed over and hide it from the staff.

"Joli!" Kid whines. "That wasn't fair. He caught me off guard."

"Whatever you say, Kid. Whatever you say." Joli playfully ruffles Kid's floppy hair before scooting her bags aside with her foot and plopping down on the bed beside of me. I don't waste any time; as soon as she's by my side, I've got my arm wrapped around her.

"Awh, now you're playing the couple card." Kid sighs in defeat. "I give up."

Joli and I both watch in amusement as Kid drops face-first onto his and Scott's bed. He lies there for a moment before ultimately rolling onto his back and folding his arms across his chest. With his eyes closed the way they are, he looks like he just got hit with a Tombstone by good ol' Mark Calloway.

God, those fuckin' hurt.

I give Joli a one-armed hug, just to pull her closer to me for a moment. The scent of her cigarettes and her peach perfume always brings a smile to my face when I haven't seen her in a while; in this case, it's only been a day, but it feels like it's been so much longer. I'm glad she got to spend some time with her unofficial siblings, though.

This life that I'm living is absolutely insane, and I'm lucky that I've not been plagued by the same demons that haunt Scott, Kid, and Shawn; I just hope that Kid listens to me, and gets the help he needs.

Chapter 36: fuck it

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"Hey, can you guys hurry up? My head is killing me." I try to keep an aggravated tone out of my voice as I look over at my group. I don't mean to be grumpy with them, but this hangover headache is fuckin' painful.

"That's on you, man. You're the one that insisted on drinking so damn much this morning." Kev shrugs as he slings Joli's bags over his shoulder. "Traffic is going to be horrible."

"I know." I mutter, rolling my eyes. "It's going to take us a fuckin' hour to get back to the hotel."

"That's looking at it optimistically." Kid sighs as he kicks a stray pebble. He's as fuckin' hungover as I am, I know it. "Leaving after a pay-per-view is always the worst."

"It's a pain in the ass, but our numbers are higher than they've ever been." Joli chimes in. "You two can just sleep in the car until we get there."

"I definitely plan on it." I mumble in response. I hear Joli sigh from behind me.

I'm in such a bad mood, and I don't mean to be. Today was just really fuckin' rough, and I'm having a hard time with that. I'm dreading each day that passes, because I know I'm getting closer and closer to doing things that I don't want to do. Why am I the one that has to get involved in all of this shit? Why am I the one that has to fuckin' cause the rift in our group?

Fuck you, Eric Bischoff. I don't care if it's not something I have to do for another month or not, I really don't want to piss Kev and Joli off like that. I don't want to be your damn puppet. I don't want to have my best friends hate me.

God, my head is spinning. I need a drink or something stronger, but I'm not going to be able to get a damn thing until we make it back to the hotel. I knew I should've snuck something in my bag, but I decided against it at the last moment.

When we reach our rental, I don't waste any time in sliding into the backseat and dropping my bags into the floor. I shut my eyes as I rest my head against the window. I wince each time one of our doors slam, and honestly, I'm really fuckin' relieved whenever I hear Kev start the car. We all fall into silence as we head towards the hotel.

It doesn't take long for Kid to start snoring beside of me. I push him with one hand, but not too hard; I just to want get him to stop. Apparently that startles Kid, because he instinctively shoves me back. I grunt in frustration and smack his arm. We end up getting into this stupid little fight, just smacking the shit out of each other. I don't even bother opening my eyes until I hear a thud from beside of me.

"Cool it down back there!" Joli snaps. "Fucking hell, that hurt, Kid!"

"Sorry." Kid whines obnoxiously. "I didn't mean to kick you. I just moved the wrong way."

"Just go back to sleep, both of you." Kev says sternly. "We're still quite a way from the hotel."

"Fine." I grumble. I grab one of my bags from the floor, positioning it against the window like a pillow. Kid mutters another half-assed apology before settling down beside of me.

I'm not sure when I drift off into sleep, but I wake up to the bright-ass lights of the inside of the car shooting on. I grunt as I run a hand over my face, trying to wake myself up enough to get out of the car. One look out of my window lets me know that we have made it to the hotel, thank God.

Joli and Kev are whispering to one another as they get their bags out of the car, but I don't know why. I'm too tired and pained to even really care, honestly. Once I'm out of the car and I have my shit, I head on into the hotel. Kid trails close behind me.

"Fuck, I'm killed." Kid complains as he raises a hand up to hold his head. We exchange tired glances as we walk towards our room.

"Me too, man. Today was too fuckin' much." I just want to grab a drink right now. I look over my shoulder to see if Joli and Kev are nearby, but I don't see them anywhere. "Bischoff just pissed me off and now I feel like I'm in such a sour mood."

But of course, I can't fuckin' say what he told me to do that pissed me off. If I tell literally anyone about his big plan, it'll ruin the mystique of it all. Fuck, I hate just thinking about it.

If this is what he wants from me to have us win the tag titles again, fuck it, I'm out. I'll never compete for another title as long as I live. Is any of this shit even fucking worth it if I don't get to enjoy it with the people I love?

"I feel you there, man. He's been on my ass since Joli's return. It just seems like no matter what I do, it's never good enough for him. It's like, if I just fuckin' sneeze in his direction, it's wrong and he's ready to scold me for it." Kid scoffs. "Fuck him, man. Fuck him."

"Kid, even if I did swing that way, I wouldn't even consider fucking his bitchy little ass." I chuckle dryly. Kid snorts, obviously taken off-guard by my comment. We exchange amused grins.

I don't know why or how, but Kid just gets me. Maybe it's just because he's as fucked up as I am? Who knows?

When we reach our hotel room, both Kid and I go to reach into our pockets to pull out a room key. We look at one another once we realize that neither of us have one, which is just fuckin' great.

"Might as well take a seat." I mutter, dropping my bags to the floor. "Who knows when they'll be here?" I slide down against the wall and pull my knees to my chest. I can feel my muscles ache ever-so-slightly as I do that; I can definitely tell I had a long match earlier.

"Great." Kid sighs as he sits down beside of me. He closes his eyes and leans his head back against the wall, and within a few moments, he's fallen over onto my arm. I just raise a hand of mine up so that I can block out the painfully bright hall light.

It feels like it takes a fuckin' eternity for Kev and Joli to arrive. I look up at them and shake Kid when I hear them approach. They both look confused as hell.

"Why the fuck are you two just sitting in the hallway?" Kev asks with a laugh. I roll my eyes and force myself to stand.

"We don't have a room key, dummy." I tell him as I stretch.

"Really?" It wouldn't take a brain surgeon to tell that Joli's aggravated with my tone. I don't blame her. "Did you happen to check your wallet, Scott?"

"Did I- Of course I did!" I scoff as I reach down and grab my bags from the floor. I actually didn't check there because I know I don't have one. Joli, Kev, and Kid all watch as I pull my wallet from my bag and open it up.

There it is, situated right in plain sight. I slide the card from my wallet and shove it into the door without even looking up at Kev and Joli. I don't want to see their smug-ass expressions.

"I gave that to you earlier, but I guess you didn't pay much attention to me." Joli sighs as we all head into the room. I fling my bags into the corner of the room then grab a bottle of beer from the desk. "We would've come right up to the room if we'd known you two were waiting on us."

"Hand me a bottle, man." Kid reaches out to me, and I pass him a bottle. Kev sits his and Joli's bags down and then looks between me and Kid.

"Don't you think you two need to head on to bed?" Kev asks as I take a seat in the office chair. I shrug and pop open my drink.

"Don't you guys want anything?" I motion towards the remaining beers. "There's still plenty to go around."

"I'm good." Joli replies. I watch as she grabs a pair of shorts and a tank top from her suitcase. She climbs over her and Kev's bed to get past me; I guess I am kind of blocking the way. "I'll be back."

"All right." Kev smiles at Joli as she leaves, but as soon as she closes the bathroom door, his smile is replaced with a frown. "Are you guys okay?"

"I'm fine. I don't know why you'd think differently. My head just fuckin' hurts." I'm actually not fine, but like hell I want to talk about it. I don't want to even fuckin' think about how pissed Kev and Joli are going to be at me in the following days. 

"You've been in a mood all damn day, brother. I'm just checking on you." Kev holds his hands up defensively. "You pretty much woke up with a bottle in your hand, and that's what you went right back to when we got here. You just normally don't drink like that."

Normally, I don't have this much to forget.

"I swear, I'm fine." I don't want to straight-up tell Kev to buzz off, so I hope he gets where I'm going with this.

"I want to believe you man, but-"

"Kev. I'm fine." I insist, raising my bottle to my lips. "Let's leave it at that."

Kev stares at me for a few more moments before letting out this huge fuckin' sigh and taking a seat on their bed. He wants to say more to me, but he's not going to; I'm glad about that, honestly.

"You doing all right over there, Kid?" Kev asks. I turn around so that I'm facing away from the beds and towards the wall instead.

Kid replies and the two talk for a little bit, but honestly, I don't pay them much attention. Kid sounds like he's as aggravated as I am, but he's not hiding it well like me. I'm just so tired of hearing everyone talk. I'm tired of everything.

I feel so fucking bad right now.

I've little more than laid my head down on the desk when I hear Kid yell, "You know what? Fuck it! Fuck all of this! Fuck both of you! I'm going to bed." I begrudgingly turn around just in time to see Joli smack the fuck out of his arm.

When did she get out of the bathroom?

"Kid! What the fuck is your problem?!" Joli's pissed. "Do you have literally any idea what you're saying?"

"I know just what I'm saying." Goddamn, Kid sounds dark. "Neither of you understand what I fucking mean. I'm sick of this."

"You're being such a fucking asshole, Kid. Just listen to us for once." Joli's trying to calm down, but it's not working.

"Listen to you?! Why should I listen to either of you when you won't listen to me?!" Kid shakes his head. "I'm out."

"Kid, just-" Kev tries to talk, but Kid coldly cuts him off.

"I'm out."

Kid downs the rest of his drink before slamming the bottle down on the nightstand. The bottom of the bottle shatters, but Kid doesn't care. He just rips down the blankets on our bed and scoots as far away from Joli and Kev as possible. Kid lays with his back to our friends while I just hold my fucking head.

I get that he's pissed, and I get where he's coming from, but why'd he have to be so fuckin' loud?

I finish off my own beer as I watch Kev and Joli. Kev's ticked, but Joli looks so damn distraught and it breaks my heart. She doesn't understand what's going on, as she's never really had to deal with me or Kid when we're not feeling well.

Or at least, she hadn't before we fucked up her return. Huh.

Joli and Kev slide into their bed and lay facing each other, with their arms around one another. God, I know Joli's so upset, and I can see it in the way she's laying. I would say something to her, but what would be the point? I don't want to start anything or make things worse.

With a sigh, I head on over to mine and Kid's bed and lay down. I lay towards Joli and Kev for a little bit before shaking my head and rolling towards Kid.

Fuck it, man. Fuck it. I'm tired.

I fold one of my arms over my face to block the light out before drifting off into yet another uncomfortable nights sleep. Life is just such a damn painful experience right now.

Chapter 37: the lucky one

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

My fingers tangle themselves into Kev's long hair as his lips fight against mine, our tongue dancing in the most passionate war they've ever experienced. I can feel his semi-erect cock pressing firmly against my inner thigh, causing a chill to rush down to my lower regions. Fuck, it's been too long since I had him fully inside me. I've missed this. I've needed this.

Kev breaks our kiss and takes a moment just to stare into my eyes. I can tell something is going on his mind, but I'm not sure what.

"What's going on, babe?" I ask, gently moving my fingers from his soft hair to his muscular shoulders. I delicately run my fingertips along his sensitive skin.

"It's just strange." Kev comments quizzically. "It's always just been a fuck before. Now it's a fuck with feelings."

I lean up so that I can give Kev a quick, soft kiss. "You're about to destroy me with your cock and you're getting emotional on me?" I tease while smiling brightly at Kev. "What's that about?"

"I try to be sweet and this is how you want to play it?" Kev laughs and shakes his head at me. "Okay, Joli. Okay."

God, the fucking look on his face right now is driving me crazy. I reach one of my hands down, so that I can rub his growing bulge. I smirk in satisfaction as Kev groans and grows harder. He smacks my ass and then moves his talented hands to the hem of my tank top.

"Are you sure you're really ready for this, Joli?" Kev's husky, lust-filled voice kills me and he knows it. He begins to slowly remove my top while he continues to talk to me. "Because it's been a while since you've fully had me."

"Don't remind me." I pout. "I've missed having you fuck me senseless."

"Good! Because goddamn, I've missed this." I have to close my eyes as Kev removes my shirt and moves his lips to my neck. Whatever he wants to do, I'm down for. There's no way I'm going to protest a damn bit of this.

The kisses Kev places along my neck as he unclamps and removes my bra are just heavenly. I can't help but shudder under his touch. He knows exactly what he's doing right now, as he always does. There's really no one that can please me like Kev; there's always been something special about our sex. I guess it's all just finally starting to make sense to me.

Kev pulls back for just a moment, so that he can gently lead me over to his bed. I take a seat and remove my shorts while I watch Kev toss his shirt and shorts off to the side. He's such a sexy motherfucker and he's all mine. That's an odd truth and I honestly have such a hard time wrapping my mind around it.

After he's snagged a condom from his drawer, Kev comes back over to me. He ever-so-gently pushes me back on the bed, so that he can hover over top of me. I let him resume his path down my chest, moaning and squirming as he sucks and tugs on my breasts. I'm so ready for him.

Once Kev reaches my hips, he pulls back just the slightest bit so that he rub me through my panties. I once more shut my eyes as pleasure and desire begin to take over my body. I find myself thrusting towards Kev's hand, something that prompts him to release this hot little chuckle.

"Oh, I know you need me, baby. I need you, too." Kev slips just one of his calloused fingers past my panties and into my damp core, teasing me all the more. I shudder once more and open up my eyes just so that I can playfully glare at him.

"I don't think I can wait much longer, Kev." I see the widest of smirks come onto his lips. He thrusts his finger into me a couple of times before pulling back completely. He slides his hand down his boxers and pumps himself a couple of times, just to get my wetness on him.

When Kev goes to open up his condom, I lean forward and place one of my hands on his. He raises a brow in confusion, but I smile at him.

"Don't worry about a condom tonight. It's fine." I can tell he's uncertain.

"Are you sure, babe? I know we usually use one, but-"

"Kevin." He takes a deep, shaky breath. "Just give me your dick. No rubber. No case. Just cock."

Kev flings the condom over his shoulder without a second more of hesitation.  The process of him removing his boxers and slipping inside of me is so smooth, I can only watch in amazement. The moment our bodies fully connect, though, I feel my soul leave my body. I love this man.

Everything about our sex is perfect, from beginning to end. It's rough, but it's slower than what I'm used to with Kev. Normally, when it's been a while, we just sort of rush through it, but not this time. It really is different when true, accepted emotions are involved.

I've never had such a feeling before. Sex has never meant much to me, but now, it's as if it does. It's just so odd, being with someone who cares so much for me. Things are changing all around me nowadays and it's mostly for the better.

When Kev finally reaches his release, he almost collapses on top of me. I don't mind, though. It's nice having him so close. It's been so long since I've had 'unprotected' - God, I hate calling it that - sex that the feeling of cum being shot inside of me is exciting. Huh.

"I fucking love you, Jolene Milford." I can barely hear Kev, as his face is pressed against the side of my head and my hair muffles him.

"And I fucking love you, Kevin Nash." I tell Kev in return. He chuckles softly before pushing himself up to give me a sweet, loving kiss.

"You're the best, Joli." He tells me as he removes himself from inside of me and hauls himself up to the top of the bed.

"I happen to think you're pretty damn cool yourself." I follow him and we both end up laying on our backs and staring up at the ceiling for a moment. We've got to catch our breath, honestly.

I'm not sure how long it takes for my senses to really come back to me, but the first thing I realize is that I need a smoke. The moment the thought crosses my mind and I look over at my the nightstand, I hear Kev let out a short laugh. When I give him a confused look, he just jokingly pretends to take a puff on an imaginary cigarette. How did he know?

As I pull a cigarette out from my carton on the nightstand, I can't help but burst into a wide grin. Today has been such a good day and I'm grateful for it. Kevin is such a gentleman and he honestly never fails to get my heart racing in all the right ways. We had a wonderful day out on the town, and when we got back to his place, we had some of the best sex I believe we've ever had.

Hell, I may actually go so far as to say it was the best. I guess the fact that this was the first time we fully fucked since we started working towards our relationship helped; the oral up to this point has been great, but the love we made tonight was fan-fucking-tastic.

"Are you sure you don't care for me to smoke in your house? I can haul my ass up and head out on the porch if you'd like me to." I look over at Kev as I twirl my cigarette around in my fingers. At this exact moment, I don't really feel like getting out of bed, but I can always wait a few minutes to go smoke.

I mean, I don't want to, but I can do it for Kev.

"Baby, I don't think you could make it to the porch right now." Kev sends me this smug little smirk. I playfully roll my eyes at him. "It's fine, Joli. Go right ahead."

Kev leans forward and places a kiss on my cheek before throwing the sheet off of himself and getting out of bed. I light my cigarette and then close my eyes and relax into the comfort of Kev's bed as he throws on some boxers and shorts. I'm still completely naked, but I don't care. I'm comfortable.

"Hey, you want anything from the kitchen? Water? Booze?" Kev asks. "I feel like I'm fuckin' dehydrated after that." His joke makes me smile. God, I love this man.

"Ah, bring me both." I tell Kev after a moment. I open my eyes back up, so that I can find my ash tray and flick my ashes onto it. "I probably need water right now, but I'll happily take a drink in a few minutes."

"Whatever you say, my lady." Kev playfully bows to me before heading out of the room. I watch him leave before turning my attention once more to the ceiling.

I love my life. I honestly do. I have a kick-ass job, the best friends a gal could ask for, and the man of my dreams is grabbing me a drink after we just had some damn good sex. Really, what more could I want?

I mean, the ability to call Kevin my boyfriend would be nice, but it's a slow build. Our story is a long one that's got to flesh itself out organically over time.

I'm almost done with my cigarette when Kev comes back into the room. He rolls a bottle of water across the bed to me before sitting a couple of glasses of wine down on his nightstand. I finish off my current cigarette as Kev walks over to his dresser.

"Catch, babe." I look over at Kev just in time to see him toss me one of his plain, gray shirts. I'm glad I'm able to put my cigarette out before I catch the shirt.

It always makes me so happy whenever Kev gives me one of his shirts to wear. They're always so easy to cuddle up in and they make me feel so safe. It's nice.

I look over at Kev once I've slipped his shirt on, and I catch him just staring at me with this fond little smile upon his lips. I raise an eyebrow at him, but I return his smile as I shift so that I'm propped up on my left shoulder.

"What is it that's got you all giddy, Kev? That smile of yours is damn handsome." I wink at him. Kev shakes his head and chuckles softly as he gets back into bed with me. Once he's gotten comfortable, he raises his big, partially tattooed arm so that I can cuddle up next to him. I grab my water bottle and then snuggle up to my love.

"I don't know, baby, I was just getting caught up in how fuckin' adorable you are. I have to take a step back sometimes to really appreciate your beauty." The amount of sincerity in Kev's voice makes my heart skip a beat. His arm that is wrapped around me begins to gently rub my side, while his free hand raises up and cups my face. "You're the most stunning woman I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on."

I've had compliments thrown my way at a steady rate throughout my entire life, but I swear, there's no one whose words mean more to me than Kev. Something about the way he calls me beautiful makes it seem like the most honest, true thing in the world. I most certainly do not have issues with the way I look; in fact, I'm quite pleased with my appearance. Yet, Kev's words just brings the most genuine happiness into my heart.

"Even when my hair is a fuckin' mess and I'm drenched in sex sweat?" I joke, sending Kev a goofy grin. This look of instant offence comes onto his face, though, and he gently strokes my face and pushes my hair out of it.

"Even when- Of fucking course, babe! Hell, that's one of the times you look the best. It's just the result of two people who love each other pleasuring the hell out of one another and having the time of their fuckin' lives. It doesn't matter to me if your hair is styled perfectly or if it's messy as all fuck and looks like you just rolled around in bed for twenty-four hours. You're still a damn angel."

I swear, what is it about this man that makes me want to cry when he speaks to me this way? I'm a strong woman, and I pride myself on my ability to hold back my tears, but when Kev and I talk like this, it's as if I'm putty in his hands. He's praising me and he's appreciating me and he's not making me feel bad for any of it. Kev is... He's the fucking best.

"You're insane for loving me, you know that, don't you?" I shake my head softly at Kev. "You're such a good fucking guy inside and I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"Listen, I don't know where you got this idea that you are the lucky one here. I'm the one who gets to love the sexiest, most badass chick in the world." Kev gives me a grin, then he leans down and places a long, sweet kiss on my lips. "You're the best, Joli."

Kev and I smile at each other for a moment before I pull back just long enough to chug half of my bottle of water. As I snuggle back up to Kev and wrap my arms around him, he picks up the television remote and turns on some random ass show. Late night television is usually pretty decent, but I'm more focus on Kev.

It's so strange, how hair has lightened over time. Kev's hair that was once as dark as mine has been turning blond. I wonder, how light will his hair get over the next few years? Damn, I bet he'd look good with a head of gray.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for this man? That could easily be the case.

We watch television for a while, but as the eleven o' clock news comes on, the phone beside of us begins to ring. I pout and continue to run my index finger over Kev's chest, while he groans and answers the phone with a reluctant, "Hey."

Who the fuck is calling at this hour?

As soon as Kev gets a response, he sighs and sits up a bit. I let out a small whine in protest, but I sit up along with him. I lean over past Kev and grab one of the glasses of wine that he brought through earlier as he talks on the phone.

"Scott? Man, what the fuck are you-" Ah, it's Scott! Okay. "Brother, you're so fucking blitzed, oh my God."

Kev shakes his head as he looks over at me before leaning forward and placing the phone between us. I lean in towards it, too, so that I can listen.

"-and I don't know, man, I'm just so fuckin' sorry." I hate hearing Scott like this, with his sad tone and slurred words. I can barely understand him. "I'm just such a fuckin' bad friend, and I know y'all probably hate me, but-"

"Scott, we don't hate you." I tell him gingerly. "You're one of our best friends. We love you."

"No, you don't. I don't. So I know you probably don't, either." Scott's so fuckin' drunk. "But it's okay! I just wanted to say I'm sorry for always being such a damn ass. You two don't deserve that. You're good people!"

"Where are you at right now, man?" Kev asks as he frowns.

"I'm home. It's just me, myself, and I." Scott laughs. "And, you know, all these nice bottles. I've got big bottles, small bottles, medium-sized bottles-"

"You had better not be taking anything out of a bottle you're not supposed to." Kev tells Scott sternly. I feel my heart sink as I realize what he means.

"Kev! Come on, Big Guy! I'm better than that!" Scott sounds offended for just a brief second. "Ah, actually, I'm really not better than that. But I'm being good tonight."

"You'd better be. We've been over this, man." Kev's voice softens. The pain in my man's eyes as he looks over at me tears a hole in my chest.

"I'm good, I'm good." Scott assures. "But really guys, I'm so fuckin' sorry I'm such an ass. I love you two."

"We love you too, Scott." I assure him. "Be safe tonight, all right?"

"All right! I can definitely try and do that. Can't make any damn promises, though. I mean, I could, but then if I broke that promise, I'd be even more of an ass."

"Go lay down and get yourself some rest, brother, okay?" Kev lets out a small sigh. "We love you."

"All right, all right. Night, guys! See ya on Monday." Scott laughs before ending the call. Kev sighs heavily and then places the phone back on the nightstand.

"I worry about him." Kev tells me as he picks his wine glass up and takes a sip. "I worry about him a lot."

"As do I." I don't really know what to say about Scott. I hate seeing -or in this case, hearing - him in such a bad place. He means a lot to me.

Kev remains quiet for a moment before just shrugging and taking another drink of his wine. I know he's just trying to move past it and not think too much about Scott, because I'm in the same boat.

"So, you want to find a movie or some shit?" Kev asks as he looks around the room. "I'm sorry I don't have your soaps recorded on a video tape for you."

That one little joke catches me off guard and I nearly choke on my wine. "Shut up. I've moved past those days. I had to have something to keep me entertained when I was by myself."

"Whatever you say, babe."

I watch as Kev gets out of bed and starts rummaging through his room in an attempt to find a movie for us to watch. Today has been pretty fuckin' great overall.

I just hope Scott is okay.

Chapter 38: blurring the lines

Kevin Nash's POV

---

"Go out there and kill it tonight, you three!" Eric's cheers make my head hurt. I give him a nonchalant wave over my shoulder, as I don't even want to bother looking over at him.

What? It's time for us to go get the tag titles back. He'll be okay.

Our music hits and I crack a grin as I walk out with Scott and Joli. The crowd is pretty damn hot tonight, which is always a plus. I live for this feeling of excitement that always courses through my veins as I walk out to the ring with my two favorite people in the world. There's just something that's pleasantly chilling about the crowd screaming your name.

Tonight is a pretty big deal, since we're getting our titles back and The Steiner Brothers are disbanding. I mean, I personally wouldn't have had their breakup happen this soon, but whatever. Our nWo ranks are always growing.

As we pose in the ring, I send a quick, discrete wink to my babe. Joli grins back at me, and as always, I find myself feeling so fuckin' blessed to almost be with her. She's the damn best.

Scott and I too sweet each other before we all get out of the ring, so that The Steiner Brothers have room for their entrance. As we wait outside of the ring, I look over at Scott and give him a grin. He's been a little on-edge today and I'm not sure why; he's not been in a really bitchy mood though, and he's not had any booze, so I guess that's good.

As The Steiner Bros get on out to the ring and finish their entrance, Scott and I get back into the ring. Joli remains down on the ground on our side, with her hands placed firmly on the ring skirt. Scott and I poke fun at The Steiners as we go through our introductions, and as I look at the glistening WCW tag team championships, I'm reminded of how much I've missed them.

Or, at least, the nice little bonus we get for being tag champs. That's nice, too.

We all knew from the get-go that the match wasn't going to be a long one. After all, the big point of this match is to just have Scott Steiner get on our side and get the titles back on me and my brother. It's a lot of quick, high-paced action, and honestly, I'm barely in the ring at all until the end. To be fair, Rick should've known that something was up considering that Joli only tried to fuck him over.

The match draws to a close once Scott Steiner turns on Rick. The crowd instantly boos. I hit Rick with a powerbomb after interference from his brother and after I get the three count, I shoot back up. Scott, Joli and I all get in the ring to formally welcome Scott Steiner to the nWo.

The reaction is mixed, really. I think The Steiner Brothers were really starting to get over as a duo, but now, that's done. I think everyone really sees Scott as the stronger talent of the two, so they're all right with him joining us. It's strange, but we go with it. I guess time will tell if this was actually a good idea.

Both Steiner Bros leave the area so that Scott, Joli, and myself can celebrate in the ring. I go to pose on the turnbuckle while Scott and Joli take care of the middle of the ring. Right as I throw up a too sweet, I hear the crowd gasp in surprise. Did I miss something?

I turn around just in time to see Scott placing a big kiss right on my girl's lips.

What the actual fuck, Scott? What the actual goddamn fuck?!

I have to force a grin onto my face as I get down from the turnbuckle and walk over to them. I can tell Joli's as fuckin' shocked as I am, but being the pro she is, she acts like it was planned all along. She gives Scott a big smile and then raises one of his arms into the air. Scott lets her hold his arm up for just a moment before snaking it around her waist.

Honestly, what is he doing?

The crowd is going crazy for Scott and Joli, though. Chants of 'Hall and Milford' have begun to echo throughout the arena. I don't understand any of this, and I know Joli doesn't either, but we roll with it. The three of us pose one more time with the tag titles in the ring before heading backstage. Scott walks with his arm still around Joli's waist and various little fuckers yell at them as we pass by.

"Get it, Hall!"

"Lucky man!"

"Hit it good!" That one doesn't even sound correct.

As soon as we've cleared the cameras, I turn to Scott with a scowl on my face. I push his shoulder that doesn't have the title on it.

"What the fuck was that about, man? You've got the whole fuckin' audience thinking the two of you are together now!" I try not to sound so pissed off, but I really don't care. Scott looks like a damn dog that got caught rummaging through the trash.

"Man, I'm- Joli, I really don't-" Scott stutters as he tries to defend himself. Joli just sneaks out of his hold and presses closer to me.

"Scott, really, what was that about? Don't just fuckin' kiss me in the middle of the damn ring like that. I didn't have any clue what I was supposed to do there!" She's a lot calmer about all of this than I am, but I can tell it's mostly because she was just caught off-guard.

"I'm sorry!" Scott shakes his head before lowering it. "I'm so fucking sorry, guys."

Before either Joli or I really have a chance to respond, of course Eric comes up between the three of us. He's grinning like a moron as he places one hand on Scott's chest and one on mine.

"All right, everyone! Let's not get too upset, okay? That certainly wasn't what I expected to happen tonight, but we can work with it!" Fuck off. "Kevin, Jolene, I know you're not happy with Scott's actions, but, did you see the way the crowd reacted?"

"You've got to be shitting me." Joli states bluntly. "Tell me you're not wanting to just-"

"Now, I'm not going to make any decisions tonight, as I need time to talk things over with our creative team and we need to go back over our crowd reactions." I want to smack the smile off Eric's face. "But, I think we might have a lead couple for the nWo now." He grabs one of Scott's hands and then one of Joli's. She literally fuckin' hisses at his touch. "Scott and Jolene. I like the sound of it!"

Eric takes Scott and Joli's hands and makes them hold each other. Joli instantly snatches her hand away.

"If you're putting me in a relationship on-camera, why can't it be with Kev? We're all about breaking the fuckin' boundaries and blurring the lines between reality and kayfbe, right?!" Joli scoffs at Eric. "So let's go with that!"

"Unfortunately, Jolene, you and Kevin are not actually in a relationship. Or, was I misinformed?" The smug way Eric says that pisses me off. I ball up my fist.

"Of course we are." I spit out. Eric nods at me before turning back to Joli.

"Thank you, Kevin, but I need to hear this from Jolene." He smiles at her. "Are you and Kevin dating?"

"... Officially, no, but-"

"Great! Then making the two of you a couple wouldn't make any difference." Eric interrupts my babe. I don't know what to do, aside from pull her trembling frame closer. I protectively wrap my arms around Joli from behind and place a kiss on the top of her head. "Jolene and Scott it is. I'll talk to our team tonight and see what we can do to get things set up."

"Even with all our pull in this company, we don't get a single say in this?" I scoff, glaring at Eric. Smug bastard just grins at me.

"Nope! I definitely think this would be a good idea for WCW and the nWo." Eric then pauses for a moment before adding, "Plus, I'm just not sure how well 'Nash and Milford' would work on television if it can't even be official behind the scenes."

That's it. That's the straw that breaks the fuckin' camel's back. Before I get a chance to hit the fucker, Joli lunges out of my arms and goes to shove him. Scott quickly pulls her back though; Eric has enough time to jump out of the way.

"Joli, he's not worth it." Scott tries to tell her, but Joli isn't buying it. She looks between him and Eric before pushing Scott back and shaking her head.

"No, fuck this. Fuck you especially, Bischoff." Joli mutters. She begins to walk away, when Eric starts talking again.

"You don't have to talk to us that way, Jolene." Eric sighs. "But, we'll talk about all of this tomorrow! Have a great rest of your evening!"

Joli throws up a middle finger to Eric before running off to God-knows-where.

"She does realize that I'm her boss, right?" Eric chuckles. "She shouldn't be speaking to me that way."

"I'd like to see you try and punish her for this." I fucking cackle at Eric. "Go ahead. Try it."

For several long moments, Eric and I just stare at each other. I know he's not going to test the waters anymore than he already has, because he knows that I won't hesitate to kick his sorry ass.

I just want to go check on my girl.

"Good night, gentleman. Meet me in my hotel room at nine in the morning and we'll go over our definitive plan from here on, all right?" Eric waves to Scott and I before scurrying off with his tail between his fuckin' legs.

I turn to just walk away, but Scott grabs my arm. I turn to look at him, but as soon as he opens his mouth to speak, I shake my head and pull away from him.

I love Scott. He's my brother for life. But, to be fucking honest, he's the last person I want to see right now.

That is, aside from Eric Kiss-My-Fucking-Ass Bischoff.

"I'll have Kid get my shit from the room and leave you guys alone tonight. Okay?" Scott tells me as I walk away. "Kev! I'm sorry."

I don't even acknowledge him with more than just a half-hearted wave of my hand. Fuck, this has turned into a damn mess.

It takes me about ten minutes to find Joli, but I'm glad that I picked our bags up on my way around the arena. She's changed into a pair of sweatpants and a tank top and she's just sitting on the ground next to our rental, with a cigarette in one hand and her head in the other. When I approach her, she doesn't even look up.

"Joli." I speak softly, so as to not startle her. "I'm here, babe, and I'm by myself."

She nods, but she still continues to smoke on the ground. I pop open the trunk and toss our shit into it before walking back over to Joli.

"Jolene." I reach my hands down to her, so that I can help pull her up. She hesitates for a moment, then places her cigarette in her mouth so that she can grab my hands. I yank my baby up with ease, then I scoot her smoke out of the way so that I can give her a big hug. She instantly wraps her arms around me.

"I'm pissed and I'm hurt." Joli laughs sadly. "Fuck all of this. Fuck it."

"I completely feel you, babe. I'm pissed and hurt for you." I don't know what to say to her. "Let's just get on back to the hotel, okay? Kid's gonna get Scott's shit and they'll be staying in another room tonight."

Joli once more just nods. She doesn't know how to react to any of this, but I don't blame her. I open up the car door for my girl and she silently climbs inside of the car.

I hate this. I hate seeing Joli so upset.

Go suck a cock, Bischoff. And Scott? Brother, you'd better do a lot of fuckin' soul-searching tonight.

"I love you, Joli." I tell her as I start the car. "We'll make this work, all right?"

"... All right, Kev." Joli chuckles softly. "I love you, too."

Tomorrow isn't going to be easy, but I guess one of us has to be strong. I just hope I don't get in too much trouble if I knock a certain someone - or rather, a certain fucking piece of shit- completely out.

Oh well.

Chapter 39: put on a show

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

I feel my stomach churn as I sit in Eric's room, waiting on Kev and Joli. I'm sitting in the chair by the desk while Eric is seated on his bed, with this bright-ass smile on his lips.

I hate it.

"Are you completely sure we have to go through with this? There's not any other way we could take things?" I ask, looking over at the fucker. Eric shakes his head.

"No. You've done wonderful so far, Scott. Thank you. You really pissed them off yesterday!" Don't remind me. "Our ratings will soar even higher once you and Joli are together on-screen, and so will your paycheck."

But really, what does any of this matter, if Kev and Joli hate me?

"Besides," Eric continues, "I'd say you might just win Jolene over if you keep this up. You two will be spending a lot of time together. You could be able to snatch her right out from Kevin's grasp."

I hate the way he worded that. He made it seem like Joli's just some fucking toy that Kev stole from me when I had my back turned. She's more than that. She's always been more than that. Then again, has Eric ever seen Joli as more than a pretty face than just happens to be good on the mic?

No, he hasn't. Eric doesn't give a single fuck about Joli, and that's what makes this even worse. I don't want to keep listening to him. I don't want to keep following his lead.

I just don't have any other choice. I have to keep this job, and I have to keep my best friends here with me. I guess as long as we're all employed and making some good cash, it's okay if they're not happy with me.

I know damn well that I'm not going to win Joli over this way. I'd love to have her as my girl, don't get me wrong. She's still got a strong grasp on a big part of my heart. Yet, I know at least at this point we could never be.

I'm not good for her.

A groan escapes my lips as I lean over in my seat. I rest my elbows on my knees and hold my head in my hands as I wait for Kev and Joli to get here, just trying to put my mind at ease the best I can.

I nearly jump out of my chair when a few loud knocks sound on the door. Eric quickly gets onto his feet and rushes over to let Joli and Kev in. I don't even want to look at them, because I'm so damn ashamed of myself. However, I give them small little smiles once I make eye contact with them.

"Hey, guys." I greet my pals.

Joli's unreadable at this point. She's wearing jeans and one of Kev's hoodies, probably so that she can hide in it like she's doing right now. Kev, though? He's still looking as grouchy as he was last night. He's staying right behind Joli, with his arms wrapped around her shoulders and his chin resting on the top of her head.

"Thank you all for joining me this morning." Eric begins, clapping his hands together. "Last night, our creative team and I came up with the perfect plan for the three of you moving forward." He grins. "Or, at least, for two of you."

"You're kidding me, right?" Kev laughs. "You're actually going through with this?"

Eric sits down on his bed and rests his hands on his knees. As he replies to Kev, he keeps this fuckin' giddy expression upon his face. "Yes, we are. From this moment forward, Scott Hall and Jolene Milford are publicly together."

"I'm sorry, what?" Joli questions. "What are you even talking about?"

Eric clears his throat and then turns so that he's facing both Joli and I. "Until further notice, the two of you are to act as a couple whenever you're in the public eye. You don't have to actually be together; really, I'm not all that interested in what goes on in your personal lives. But, Jolene and Scott, I'm glad you two do like each other, because," He fuckin' laughs, "you're going to be spending an awful lot of time together."

"So, what, I'm not even going to be able to fucking take my girl out to dinner from here on out?" Kev cackles. "This is some fucking bullshit, man!" He throws his hands up into the air and walks away for a second. "This is some real goddamn fucking bullshit."

"I'm sorry, Kevin, but our hands are tied." Eric gives him a cocky grin. "This is just how it's going to have to be for a while."

"Exactly how long are we talking?" Joli is pissed and I can't blame her.

"I'm sure it won't be too long." I chime in, looking over at Eric. "Right?"

"The next three months, at the very least." Eric tells us. "In fact, the Hall and Milford relationship is going to play a big part in the formation of the nWo wolfpac! But, we'll talk more on that when we get closer to it."

"Three months, huh?" I chuckle softly as I shake my head. These are going to be three of the hardest months of my life. "I guess we'll have to make the most of it, Joli. I'm sorry I got us in this situation."

Kev sighs heavily and leans against the wall while Joli looks over at me with a softened expression. Eric just watches Joli and I stare at each other for a moment.

I swear, she makes me fuckin' weak, even now.

"Well, I suppose there are worse people that I could be forced to have a fake relationship with." Joli finally says. She gives me a small smile before turning to Eric. "I mean, you could be trying to make me be with your bitchy ass."

Kev and I both laugh, but Eric doesn't seem to think it's so funny.

"Don't try to test me, Jolene. Keep in mind that you are my employee, and whatever storylines I see fit for you are the ones you'll be placed in." Eric's continuing to smile, but his voice is chilling.

Of course, that pisses Joli off. It pisses me and Kev off, too, but she's especially pissed.

"Oh, okay, so you want to try and hold that card over my head. I get it." She laughs. "I'd like to see you try to tame me, Bischoff. You couldn't handle me."

Eric chuckles and tilts his head towards Joli as he looks up at her. "You're not really my type, anyway. I mean, you're quite attractive, but your personality is a little..."

"Don't think just because you're the one that signs the checks that I won't knock you on your ass." Kev growls as he walks over to Joli and pulls her close. "You don't scare me, little guy."

As soon as Kev gets involved, Eric backs off. He holds his hands up defensively and gives Joli and Kev this fake apologetic look.

"I'm very sorry, Jolene. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Eat shit." Joli mutters under her breath.

"What was that?" Eric asks even though it's obvious he heard her.

"Drop it." Kev scoffs. "Now come on, are we done here?"

Eric stands up and places one hand on my shoulder and one hand on Joli's; but, when she and Kev both glare at him, he lets both of his hands fall to his side. "Yes, we're done for today. But, on Friday, I need you two to report to headquarters for a photoshoot. We're working on getting a meet and greet set up for the nWo's new dream couple and we need plenty of pictures for it!"

"Whatever. We're out." Joli mutters and then waves a dismissive hand. She and Kev both turn on their heels to walk out. I follow after them.

"I'm sorry again for getting us in this mess, Joli. I was out of line, and I hope you forgive me for that." I tell her truthfully as we all walk down the hall together.

"Don't worry about it. There are a lot worse things you could've done to me." Joli shrugs. "I'm not really mad at you, anyway. It's more so that fuckin' asswhipe that calls himself Eric."

"I just don't want there to be any hard feelings between me and you two." I look up at Kev. "Do you forgive me, big guy?"

Kev sighs heavily and then places a hard hand on my back. He pats my back a couple of times before letting out this small little chuckle.

"Oh, I'm still pretty damn mad at you, brother, don't get me wrong." As you should be. "But, I couldn't ever hate you. Like my baby-" Kev cuts himself off and then looks around, making sure that no one is nearby. "Like Joli, I'm more pissed at Eric."

"He's really being an ass about all of this." I tell them in agreement. "I mean, I love spending time with you, Joli, but this isn't the way I want to do it."

"I want to punch Eric right in his smug little face." Joli mutters crossly. "And who the fuck did he think he was, trying to threaten me like that?"

"I don't know." Kev shakes his head as he slicks his hair back. "He needs to back off."

"I'm just really glad we're all chill. I love you guys." I tell Kev and Joli truthfully. "You're my family."

"We love you, brother." Kev wraps an arm around my shoulders and ruffles my hair. I can't help but grin. This is what I've missed. "But Scott?"

"What is it, man?" I ask, glancing up at Kev.

"Don't kiss my girl again, not unless you absolutely fuckin' have to. Okay?" Kev whispers in my ear, so that only I can hear him. Joli doesn't even pay us any attention; she's busy unlocking the door to their hotel room.

"I won't, man. I promise you, I'm not going to overstep any boundaries. I've already done enough of that." I don't know what all Eric is going to have me do, but I pray to all Gods out there that I don't have to break this promise to Kev.

"Good!" Kev grins and then helps push me into their room.

Joli lights up a smoke as I take a seat on what was originally mine and Kid's bed, before we got our own room yesterday. She and Kev both sit on their bed, and as soon as she sits down beside of him, Kev has an arm around Joli.

"I think we need to have some ground rules for this little setup, don't we?" Joli looks between me and Kev. Kev and I both nod.

"Of course. Just tell me what you want me to do." I really don't want to piss them off unless I have to.

"I guess you two are supposed to hold hands and shit in public, and sell it like you're together." Kev shrugs. "But as soon as we're back here, everything goes back to normal."

"As long as the public thinks we're together, our private lives don't matter." Joli points between me and herself as she talks about us. "I guess we're just going to have to put on a damn show."

"Then put on a show we shall." I laugh, but I feel my stomach churn once again.

I really don't like this damn setup. I feel like this whole thing is just going to drive such a big barrier between me and Kev and Joli. I hate it, honestly.

All I want is to relax with my best friends and have things be as simple as they once were, but I know that's not something that can happen right. No, everything has to be complicated just so that Eric can bring more money into the company.

Fuck it. I don't think it's a good idea, but hey, what do I know?

It's not like I'm a fuckin' professional wrestler or anything.

God, I'm so over this. Joli, Kev, I hope you're ready for this crazy ride, because I know I'm not.

Chapter 40: no more lies or bullshit

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

"You've been quiet today, Scott. Talk to me a little." I look over at Scott as he drives. He's got both hands planted firmly on the steering wheel and his eyes are covered by his shades. He's been chewing on his toothpick rather harshly.

I'm worried about Scott. Ever since Eric paired us together, he's not completely been himself. We've spent so much time with one another over these past two weeks, but Scott has been off. I don't know what it is, he's just not been the usual, rebellious smart-ass that I adore.

"Huh? I'm fine, Joli. Don't worry about me." Scott shoots me a grin, but I shake my head.

"Did you even listen to me? I said you'd been quiet; I didn't ask how you were feeling." Scott's grin instantly drops. "I know you're not happy about this angle, but neither am I. How are we supposed to make this thing work when can't even talk to each other?"

"I'm sorry." Scott sighs. I can tell he's deep in thought. "Okay," He starts after a minute, "let's talk. First off, I'm sorry again that I got us stuck in this mess. I know I've said that a few times, but I mean it, Joli. I shouldn't have kissed you on television. That's on me."

I place a hand on Scott's shoulder and pat it gently. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't enjoyed the kiss, but that's all it was.

It was just a crazy kiss between friends. That's it.

"It's really fine, Scott. You were caught up in the moment and you just did what felt right. I get it. It's not like we've not kissed countless times in the past, anyway." I shrug as I reach down into the cup holder and grab a cigarette and my lighter. "There have always been feelings between us, whether we ever admitted them or not. Our relationship has been a little... complicated."

"Isn't that the truth?" Scott chuckles as I roll down my window. "I'd genuinely love to have you as my girl, Joli, but I don't want it to go down this way."

I hate the feeling of awkwardness that rushes over me as Scott says that. I hate feeling any bit odd when I'm with him; I mean, it's Scott! This motherfucker has been my best friend for what, just about six years?

I need to get ahold of myself. I'm losing my damn mind.

"Again I say, it's complicated. I don't doubt we could've been good together, but I love Kev. He means the world to me." Goddamn, I love you, Kevin. I genuinely do.

"I know. I really don't want to ever try and come between you two. I mean, yeah, it still stings that I'm not the one you want, but I respect you both a hell of a lot. You're my best pals in the world, Joli. I don't want to get in the way of your happiness."

It sounds like Scott struggles so much to say that, but I know it's not because he doesn't want good things for me and Kev. It's just because he's still hurt by all of this. I thought he'd been moving on rather well, but this whole bullshit angle has to be killing him.

"You're a wonderful man, Scott. I really hope you know that. I know it's hard for you to see the good in yourself some days, and I know it's easy for you to put yourself at the bottom of the priority list. I just..." I have to stop for a moment as I gather the proper words to say. "I just want you to know how amazing you really are."

Scott chuckles softly as he looks over at me for just a quick moment. I feel my heart ache as our shade-covered eyes lock with one another's. I wish Scott saw in himself what I see in him.

"Thank you, Joli. That's the kind of shit I need to hear sometimes, you know?" Scott gives me a smile. "I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. I'll really try to fix that shit, okay? I don't need to push you away just because I can't figure my own personal shit out."

"Or, you could trust me again and let me help you however I can." I playfully punch Scott's arm, something that makes him jokingly whine. "I know you don't like to open up about that side of yourself, but goddamn, Scott, it's not like you don't know all of my dirty secrets."

"That's true!" Scott laughs. "I'm sorry, Joli. I'll try my best to talk to you more, okay? I'll try to let you know when things are getting rough."

"Good!" I smile proudly. "No more lies or bullshit, man. We're spending too much time together for that."

"Amen." Scott agrees. "No more lies or bullshit."

Seeing as this conversation has grown to a close, I finally light up my cigarette and take a quick puff on it. God, I'll never grow tired of the familiar comfort that comes with my little nicotine sticks.

When Scott and I arrive at the mall, we're met at the front doors by a grinning Eric. I inwardly gag, but I try to act as though I'm not the least bit bothered by him. As the three of us walk into the mall and make our way to our table, Scott and I hold hands and play it up big time.

"I'm glad to see our happy couple is in such a good mood today." Eric comments as we walk, sending both Scott and I eager winks. "I love seeing the two of you in such high spirits."

"I'm so glad that you're concerned about our well-being." I tell Eric with obvious venom in my tone. "You've always wanted nothing but the best for me in my love life. You're a true friend, Eric."

Scott has to stifle a laugh as Eric narrows his eyes ever-so-slightly towards me. He wants to say something to me, I know he does. But, instead of making a scene in front of the already growing crowd, Eric just pats me on the back.

"Of course, Jolene. I only want happiness for you!" Fuck off.

"And I for you, Eric." I give him a devilish smile that I can tell ticks him off.

Mission accomplished.

Eric and a few other workers help Scott and I get everything set up for our signing. We have tons of pictures placed on our table as well as a ridiculous amount of sharpies nearby. Not too far from our signing table, Eric and a few WCW workers in nWo shirts are stationed at a merch table. It's a nice setup, really.

I just wish Kev was here. I miss him. I mean, all of this is fun, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't feel right without him.

"We're about to let the fans in!" Eric shouts over at us. I nod and turn to Scott.

"How do I look?" I ask Scott, looking over my black jeans and nWo tank top. "Badass?"

"Completely." Scott grins at me and then kisses my cheek. It's totally just to play to the eager crowd, so I don't think much of it. "What about me?"

He's got to know he looks damn good in his Outsiders tee and jeans as dark as mine. I playfully slap Scott's chest and give him a smile. "You look great."

"Thanks." He laughs. We share excited expressions before turning our attention to the approaching fans.

It takes a few minutes for our crew to get everyone lined up properly, and make it where no one is able to cut past each other. Once the first fans show up at our table, time begins to fly.

I like signings. They're always so much fun!

"Hey! You know you're a lucky guy, don't you, Hall?" I hear the guy in front of me say as I sign a photo for him. I slide the photo to Scott as he replies.

"Oh, I'm damn lucky, brother! Joli here is the hottest chick in the world." Scott nudges me with his elbow as he pops the lid off of his sharpie.

So many of our fans play into this fake relationship so well. It's a bit amazing, really.

I wink at Scott before turning my attention to the next fan at our table. I smile as I see a young brunette girl wearing a Shawn shirt. She looks like she's got to be around sixteen or seventeen years old.

"Hey there! What's your name?" I ask as I grab a new sharpie from my pile.

"Samantha." She tells me with the biggest grin upon her lips.

"All right, Samantha, which picture would you like? Or have you got something you'd like me to sign for you?" I watch as she reaches into her HBK bag and pulls out one of my favorite pieces of merchandise that has my face slapped on it; a figure set of me, Kev, and Scott.

"Would you care to sign this, Joli?" Samantha asks shyly as she slides the figures my way. I instantly whip the packaging around so that I can get a better grip on it.

"Of course! We'll happily sign this for you, won't we, babe?" I nudge Scott, who had been busy talking to the fan I'd met before Samantha.

"Hey yo! That's nice." Scott smiles at Samantha. She looks so damn giddy and it makes me happy.

To: Samantha! I write and then draw a smiley face. HBK is super lame. nWo 4life! I add another smiley face, making this one stick its tongue out. I then sign my name and put a heart next to Milford.

As soon as Samantha reads the message I wrote on her figure, she bursts into laughter. She places a hand over her mouth to try and compose herself, but when I wiggle my eyebrows at her, she laughs yet again.

"Is it okay for me to tell you I love you? Because God, you're my favorite, Joli." Samantha tells me through her laughter.

"I'm glad to hear that." I wink at her. "Now, make sure you ditch that Shawn shirt and trade it in for something black and white." I motion towards our merch table.

"She's a real charmer, isn't she?" Scott jokes, sending me a heart-warming smile. I've always thought he had such a damn handsome one. "Come on over here, girly, and I'll sign your figure for you, too."

I fondly shake my head as I watch Samantha give me a small wave and scoot on down the line to Scott. She's a sweet girl, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to give her hell, could I? I'll have to tell Shawn about it. He'll probably whine and complain about me.

Oh well!

The meet and greet continues on and on for the next several hours, but honestly, I barely notice how much time has elapsed. I mean, yeah, we always get a nice little bonus for doing these type of events, but interacting with the fans is usually so much fun. We get to meet so many people that genuinely care for our art and it's nice.

As soon as we're done with the fans, I sneak out of the mall and head back to the rental that Scott and I had gotten. Since he's got the keys, I don't get inside of it, but I am able to stand beside it. I sigh contently once I've pulled a smoke from my pocket and lit it up.

"Hey! There you are." Scott laughs as he pops up behind me. "You know Eric's pissed you ran off, right?"

"Ah, let him be pissed. He can kiss my ass." I giggle, but I'm being honest. I don't care if I've made the little twit mad.

"Come on, let's head on back to the hotel." Scott ruffles my hair and the unlocks the car. I give him a grin before jumping in the passenger seat.

Today has been nice. This is the kind of  time I like to spend with Scott, where we're both happy and having a good time.

Hopefully, the rest of our angle goes as smoothly as today has.

Chapter 41: testing the waters

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

As Joli walks into the bathroom of our hotel room, I place a hand on Scott's shoulder and lead him over to where our beds are. I cross my arms across my chest and lean down just a bit so that I can get closer to his ear.

"Hey, man. Can I talk to you for just a moment?" I ask him quietly, so that Joli can't overhear from the bathroom.

We just got back from a long fuckin' night of working on Nitro. Today's been a long day, but most weeks where we have a pay-per-view are.

I hate to have to talk to Scott in secret like this, but I've got to get some stuff off my chest. This damn angle between Scott and Joli has been tearing a fuckin' hole in our friendships. I know that Scott isn't intentionally trying to do anything to fuck with us, but I feel like he's really been testing the waters on things lately.

It just feels like he's been doing everything he can to try and put himself over in Joli's eyes. At first, I'd felt like he'd accepted me and Joli as a thing, even though we're still not officially there. But, nowadays, I feel as though he's completely disregarding everything that Joli and I working for. There are times when we're out of the public eye where I feel like he's trying to flirt with her just a little too much, even though he'd promised me he'd let her be.

I don't know, maybe I'm just paranoid.

"Yeah, man. Sure. What's up?" Scott asks, titling his head up at me. I have to pause for a moment to figure out exactly how I can word this properly.

"Would you care to back off for a little bit on Joli? I know it's mostly for the angle, but I'd appreciate it if you sort of gave her some space. You're not breaking any boundaries, but I feel like you're trying to sway her shoot opinion." I shrug nonchalantly. "Just tone it back a little. That's all I'm asking."

Scott stares at me for a moment, and I can tell he understands exactly what I'm saying and where I'm coming from. He then cracks a grin and pats my chest a couple of times.

"Of course, man. Of course." Scott then chuckles and shoots me a smug smirk. "Why would I try and take Joli from you? You're my brother."

I'm not fond of the way he said that. There's just something about the way Scott's looking at me now that kind of ticks me off. It's like he's trying to get me riled up.

Scott, exactly what are you doing right now? You're not really being yourself right now, but like fuck I'm going to call you on that. Fuck it.

"Okay. Right. I get you. Thanks, brother." I tell Scott as I pat his back. He winks at me and then moves over to his bed so that he can flop down on it.

He's been so odd lately and I can't read him. If he's not flirting it up with my girl, he's either sad, pissed, drunk, or some weird combination of the three. I don't know what's going on with Scott.

At least me and Joli are going strong. Even with all of the chaos around us, Joli and I remain the same. I mean, we're actually growing closer and closer with each day that goes by. I don't think that it's going to be too much longer until she's ready for us to completely be together.

I mean, it's not like we aren't basically together already.

"You guys okay? I feel like I could cut the fuckin' tension in here with a knife." Joli comments with a small laugh as she walks over to me and Scott. "What's this about?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I don't know what you're talking about." Scott chimes in. "We're good. I'm just getting comfortable."

"Yeah, we're cool." I nod, as it's easier to just go with whatever he's saying than try and explain this to Joli. I don't want her to think there are any problems between me and Scott, especially not when I don't even understand it all myself.

"You sure?" Joli asks me specifically with one brow raised. I can tell she's trying to read me, but I fuckin' no-sell it.

"Yeah, I'm sure, babe." I pull Joli close and place a kiss on the top of her head. "I promise."

I hate to lie to her, but what can you do?

"Okay." Joli says after a silent moment. "I trust you."

I love this woman so much, I honestly do. She's the fuckin' best.

For the next few hours, we all just sit around and kill time and relax. I'm just about ready for bed when a knock sounds on our door.

"Who the fuck is here at this hour?" I mutter in frustration as I walk over to the door. When I open it up, I groan. "What, Eric?"

"I have some grave news I'd like to share with all of you, if you're not too busy." Eric tells me grimly, a solemn tone in his voice. I sigh and open up the door more and motion for him to come in. We both walk over to Joli and Scott, much to Joli's displeasure.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Joli asks crossly. Eric frowns for just a moment before saying something that makes my heart sink.

"I came to inform you three that our dear pal Sean Waltman is injured."

"What?! Injured?! There's no fucking way." Joli sinks down onto the bed as she, Scott, and I try to process the news that Eric has just told us. I knew it was a bad sign when the little prick came into our hotel room at one in the morning. "He was fine last night, Eric. Perfectly fine."

"Unfortunately, he was not. He may have appeared to be fine, but in fact, Sean was in a lot of pain. He's taken a few too many rough bumps over the past few months and I'm not sure when he'll return to WCW. However, I would like for the three of you to pass my best wishes to Sean the next time you speak to him." I hate the look of smug sympathy on Eric's face. It's as if he doesn't even care at all.

"What's wrong with him? Is it a broken bone, or a rough concussion, or something else?" I ask, raising a single brow. "You've got to give us a little more information than that."

This is just all too sketchy. I have a hard time believing the whole story, when we're only receiving bits and pieces of it. Kid was fine the last time he worked, but suddenly, now he's messed up? It doesn't sit right with me.

"It's really just a collection of injuries that have been building up over time." Eric assures. "He basically needs to let his entire body recuperate. He'll be greatly missed while he is gone."

"Hold up, you've come in here at this time of night and you're not even going to tell us more than that?" I scoff. "Bullshit."

"I'm sorry, Kevin, but I'm sure that you can learn more from Sean once you speak to him. He's going to be having more tests run in the morning to completely figure out what's going on with him." Eric gives me a look that pretty much tells me that I'm shit out of luck. "However, I am going to go ahead and scoot on out of here for the night. You three need your rest! We have a long day of videos to shoot tomorrow!"

"Fuck off." Joli mutters as she puts a pillow over her face. My poor babe looks fuckin' defeated.

"Goodnight, everyone! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your evening!" Eric grins. "Especially you, Jolene, since you look like you're having a rough time."

I glare at Eric as Joli flips him off. He scurries his bitchy little ass out of the room before any of us can get anymore pissed off at him.

"Is Kid really injured?" Scott asks as the door to our room closes behind Eric. "I can't believe it."

"I have a hard time believing it, too." I admit as I shake my head. "It doesn't add up."

None of it makes any sense to me.

Scott grabs a bottle of beer from the nightstand and pops the lid off of it. As he starts chugging it, I turn to Joli. She's still laying with the pillow across the top part of her face, so I move it out of the way and lean down so that my face is close to hers.

She opens her eyes up to look up at me, and the sadness in her eyes breaks my fuckin' heart. My poor lil' Joli looks so crushed and I hate it.

"You okay, babe?" I ask Joli as I push her hair out of her face. She sighs and presses her lips against mine for a quick moment.

"Is Kid coming back?" The way she asks that hurts me so much.

"I don't know, babe." I have to be honest with Joli. "I hope so."

"So do I." Joli then closes her eyes and rolls over in bed. I shake my head and get up to stretch.

I walk over to the window and look past the curtain for a few moments as I try to wake myself up a little more and gather my thoughts. I know I need to get to bed, but this has me all worked up. I need to talk to Kid and find out what's really going on. I don't believe this injury shit, but honestly, it could be legit. I could just be making a mountain out of a Goddamned molehill.

"Kid?" Scott's slurred voice draws my attention away from the dark outdoors I had been observing. I must've fuckin' spaced out or some shit. "Kid, you okay, man?"

As I turn around, I notice Joli rolling over to the edge of our bed. I glance over at my babe and see that she's looking intently over at Scott, no doubt trying to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"... Yeah, and Eric said that- Okay, so you really are- Kid, I-" Scott's trying to keep up, but I can tell by the look on his face that he's not completely understanding what Kid's saying. I walk over to Scott and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me talk to him." I tell Scott softly. "I'll figure out what's going on."

"I can fuckin' talk on the phone, Kev." Scott hisses at me. He's place a hand over the bottom of the phone so that Kid can't hear us. "Hold on."

I roll my eyes. Great. Scott's drunk and heated.

Scott keeps rambling on to Kid, but God knows what the fuck they're actually talking about. I can vaguely hear Kid through the phone as I sit down back on the bed with Joli. She shakes her head at Scott before grabbing her smokes and lighting one up. I wrap an arm around her shoulders as we sit and listen to Scott.

As Scott talks, he's also fuckin' drinking, which makes things so much better, of course. He keeps getting more and more hammered, and every time I try to take a bottle from him or advise him against it, he gets ticked at me.

When he finally gets off the phone with Kid, Scott hangs up the phone and then rolls over in his bed. He makes himself comfortable, and after he remains quiet for a moment, I speak up.

"How's Kid?" I ask.

"He's fucked." Scott says, defeated. "He's so fucked. I don't know when he'll be back and neither does he."

"How's he doing, though?" I prod. "Is he all right, or-"

"Call him tomorrow." Scott mutters. It's obvious he's done talking about it.

"Okay, fine." I sigh and then place a kiss on Joli's head. "Night, Scott."

"Night."

I hope Kid's okay, but like fuck I'd know by talking to Scott. I guess I'll have to figure this out on my own.

Kid, buddy, you'd better get your ass back to us. Stay strong, brother.

Chapter 42: a fuckin' mess

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

I'm just so tired of all of this. I'm tired of the pain, I'm tired of the frustration, and most importantly, I'm tired of pissing my best friends off when I certainly shouldn't have to. This fuckin' angle has done nothing but ruin things between me and Kev and Joli.

Dammit Kid, why'd you have to get hurt? I miss you, man. I need you to come back here and straighten me out, or at least be as fucked up as I am.

Fuck, I don't need to think like that. Ugh.

I run a hand across my cheek as I look down at Joli, who has fallen asleep on my shoulder. She's so damn tired that she doesn't even care that the airport we're in is loud and busy as all hell. Kev's on her other side, and he keeps glancing over at her to check on her. I wish I had what they have, but ha! That's a fucking hilarious thought at this point. Regardless of everything I've tried, I've just managed to push Joli away lately.

Or maybe, that's just what I really want right now? If she's not close to me, I can't really hurt her, can I? Eric probably wouldn't like this train of thought, but fuck him. He's the reason I'm in this shitty situation in the first place.

I carefully reach down into the inside pocket of my jacket and pull my flask out just a tad bit after I look around and make sure that no one is watching me. If I wasn't a short taxi ride away from home, I wouldn't have bothered even bringing it, but the booze fuckin' numbs the pain. I need something to hold me over until Joli and Kev get on their flight to Detroit.

God, I feel so bad for them. They can't hug or cuddle or kiss or whatever on their way back to Kev's, because of this damn angle. I'm sorry, guys.

I nearly jump out of my seat when I feel Kev poke my shoulder. He shifts his gaze from my eyes to my flask, and he's wearing this disapproving look on his face. I just shrug and take another drink before sliding the little container back into my jacket.

Kev thumps my shoulder again, this time a little more harshly. I whip my head around to look at him again, and he mouths 'the fuck?' to me but I don't care. I don't see what the big deal is.

Joli starts to stir, and she glares at both me and Kev before moving off of my shoulder and slinking down into her own seat. She drifts back to sleep almost immediately.

Once again, I go to turn my attention away from Kev, but he thumps me again. He motions for me to follow him, and against my better judgment, I do. While Joli snoozes in her seat, Kev and I head to the bathroom.

After Kev does a quick little scan of the bathroom and makes sure we're alone, he turns to me and shakes his head. Like I need this fuckin' look of disappointment, man.

"What's your deal, brother?" Kev finally asks. "Drinking in the airport? Really?"

"It's not like I'm driving. I planned on getting fucking wasted when I got home anyway." I don't see what the big deal is. "It's fine."

"You're going downhill, man. Just talk to me." Kev pleads, but I'm not buying it. I don't really want to have this conversation right now.

"I'm not going downhill. I'm just fine. I'm sorry that my life isn't as perfect as yours, buddy." I chuckle mockingly. Fuck, this isn't going to end well. I'm already getting ticked off. "Like, I'm sorry I'm not an ideal fuckin' boyfriend that can keep himself clean and doesn't have to resort to booze to fuckin' feel good. Sorry."

"Jesus Christ, you're already drunk." Kev sighs heavily. "Go home, Scott. The angle will be okay if you don't see Joli off. Just sell a fuckin' stomachache or something and you'll be fine. Eric won't be able to bitch at you for not feeling well."

His plan makes perfect sense, but for some reason or another, it ticks me off. I give him a smug smirk and then slip my flask out of my pocket. Before Kev has a chance to take it from me, I open it up and chug what's left in it.

"Really? You honestly think that was the best thing for you to do in this situation?" Kev scoffs. "Brother, just go. Home. Please."

I roll my eyes at Kev before I just start fuckin' laughing. Fuck, I wish I didn't feel like this. I can feel all of the damn booze swimming through my veins at a fuckin' quick speed; I probably shouldn't have brought such strong shit with me.

"Fuck you, man. I don't need to go home just yet." I get in Kev's face and narrow my eyes. "You're always trying to act like you know what's best for me, but you know what? You don't. You haven't done half the shit I have, or seen half the shit I've seen. You think you understand me and my situation, but fuck, you don't. Just fuckin' back off a little bit, man!"

If my mind wasn't already swimming, the look of concern and worry on Kev's face would probably mean something to me. A sober Scott might want to reconsider his actions and his words, but HA! Fuck that. I'm more ticked off than anything.

"I'll be fine on my Goddamn own, but you know what? I think I will fuckin' leave. Give Joli a big kiss for me." I blow Kev a kiss before laughing and moving towards the bathroom door. Did I need to add the last bit? Probably not. But, it felt right for me to say at the moment, so I did it.

Man, I really can be a prick, can't I?

I've almost reached the door when I feel myself being lifted off the ground. I look over my shoulder and see Kev's chucked me up into his arms and is carrying me, for whatever reason. I try to struggle and get out of his grasp, but it's no use. There's no way I can properly fight him right now.

I try to find Joli as Kev carries me out of the airport, but anything that isn't right in front of me looks blurred as all hell.

I'm sorry, Joli. I'm glad you can't see me right now.

Kev flops me down in a taxi and then mutters to the driver for a while, probably giving them directions to my house. Being the smart man that I am, I lay across the seats and start holding my stomach as though it really fuckin' hurts.

I lean up to say something to Kev as he leaves, but by the time I get up, the taxi is moving and Kev is long gone. I guess it's better that way, because I don't know what I would've said to him. I probably wouldn't have thanked him, even though I surely should've.

I don't know when I pass out on the way to my house, but I wake up to the taxi driver shaking my arm. I groggily force my ass up and as I go to open the door of the car, realization strikes me. I go to reach into my pocket to get my wallet, but the driver stops me.

"Don't worry about it. Your friend already paid me." Fucking hell, don't I seem like an asshole now?

"Oh, okay. Thanks." I mutter and then haul my ass out of the taxi. I don't hear the cab drive off until I close the door to my house behind me.

Kev, why do you always have to seem like such a damn good guy? I know you've got a good heart and I know you're a fuckin' swell dude, but come on, man! Even when you're fuckin' pissed at me, you always fuckin' look out for me. That's not fair. I don't do that kind of thing for you.

I end up in my kitchen, where I grab a nice six-pack of beer. I slowly make my way to couch, because fuck, I can't make it to my bed right now. I drop my ass down on my couch and pop open a bottle as a fuckin' wave of sadness just washes over me.

I'm alone. I'm completely alone in this big ass house and there's no one here who can bullshit with me or that wants to check on me.

I had a wife, but I fucked that up. I found another woman that I gave my fucking everything to, but she probably hates me at this point. Ain't that great? Love just isn't for me, I guess.

My son isn't here, because, of course, he's with his mother. But honestly, I don't know if I'd want him to see me this way.

Paul and Shawn are busy dealing with their own shit, so who fuckin' knows when I'll see them again?

Kev probably hates me, too, just like Joli. If he does, he has every goddamn reason to. I'm always fuckin' take advantage of Kev and if I was him, I'd be fuckin' sick of it. I just wish he'd leave me alone and let me fall into this hell by myself.

Oh, but you know who I really miss right now? Kid. Where the fuck are you, buddy? I know you're gone for a while, but God, I miss you so much. You're supposed to be the little shit who is right beside me and holding me up.

My life is a fuckin' mess, isn't it? I've tried to deny it, or shit, have I? Nah, I think I've pretty much accepted it at that point. I've just been fucking everything up in the name of what's best for this company, but I don't think that's necessarily right. I mean, it's what I'm going to keep doing, because it's what I have to, but...

I don't know what I'm saying. I'm just a crazy man rambling to himself in his mind because all of his friends are gone for one reason or another.

I chug the beer I have in my hand before popping open another. I know I don't need to be consuming so much beer so quickly, but fuck it. I don't care. It numbs this fuckin' pain which I call my life.

One beer turns into two, and then two to three. Before I know it, my six-pack is gone and I'm lying on the floor of my living room. As soon as I try to get up, I feel my stomach shift in the most uncomfortable of ways. My mouth starts drooling and before long, all sorts of vomit starts spewing out.

As I sloppily wipe my mouth off and roll onto my side, a large sigh escapes my stained lips. This is the bottom of the barrel, and honestly, this kind of chaos shouldn't be so damn welcoming. I can barely see straight and my head is now throbbing, but that's okay.

Somewhere along the way, I slip out of consciousness. I wake up briefly when my phone rings, but by the time I even think about answering it, the call has ended. Huh. I wonder, was that Kev or Joli? Or maybe Kid? Shawn? Paul? Who the hell knows?

I hope it wasn't one of them, because I'd hate to have blown them off like that. They deserve better than that. They deserve better than me.

I'll straighten my act up one day, but today is certainly not that day. No, today -or tonight, whatever the fuck time of day it is- I'm just going to lay here in a pile of my own filth and wallow in my own self pity.

Yeah, this is perfect.

Chapter 43: a couple of dicks

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I take a long drag on my smoke as I shudder from a damn chilly breeze. I've always loved my birth month of November, but God, it's especially cold this year. I lean back against the stone wall of this week's Nitro arena as I smoke, just trying to take a minute to relax.

I can feel it in my heart that something crazy is approaching, something that isn't good at all. I don't know what it is, or when it's coming, but it is. Maybe I'm just becoming a bit paranoid, since it seems like that asswipe Eric has been working overtime in an attempt to fuck us over.

That's probably it. Fuck you, Eric. Fuck you.

I close my eyes for a moment and as I reopen them, I catch a familiar head of long, black hair passing by. I reach out and grab Scott's shoulder as he goes to head inside, and he jumps in surprise.

"I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to startle you." I tell him with a kind-hearted laugh. "I was wondering if you'd be early today."

"I wasn't going to skip, if that's what you're implying." Scott's tone isn't necessarily cold, but it isn't as light as usual. I furrow my brows and pout at him.

"That wasn't what I was implying at all. There you are, jumping to irrational conclusions again." I put my cigarette out as I shake my head. "The world isn't out to get you, Scott, and I most certainly am on your side. I wish you wouldn't get so snippy with me."

Scott sighs heavily before walking over to the wall beside of me and leaning against it. He crosses his arms across his chest and looks down at me, this sad expression on his face. It kills me.

I feel like he's just falling further and further into some black hole and I don't know how to pull him out of it. I hate being so helpless.

"I'm sorry, Joli, I really am. You've always been right here when I needed you, and you don't deserve my attitude. You're such a good gal and I don't treat you right." Scott sighs and then drapes an arm around my shoulders. I lean against him, to give him a bit of support.

"I know you're trying, dude." I tell him with a smile. "I just... I don't know, I wish you'd talk to me about what's going on in that big-ass head of yours. I know I'm not the most helpful woman in the world, but-"

"Joli, you're great. Hush." Scott chuckles softly. He gives me a small grin for just a moment, then he lets it fall off his face as he turns his gaze to the sky. "I want to talk to you more about everything that is going on in my mind and in my life, but it's just... it's hard to talk about, you know? I hate it, because you've been so upfront with me about all of your struggles, and yet, I can't force myself to tell you much in return."

I playfully punch Scott's chest, just hard enough to get his attention. He raises a brow at me and I give him a cheeky grin.

"It's not a competition, you goofball. Sharing your thoughts and your demons isn't always an easy thing to do. I just..." My grin falters. "I want the best for you, Scott. I know that keeping all of this to yourself isn't doing you the least bit of good. You need to talk to someone, whether it's me or Kev or Paul or someone else."

"I know, girly. Bottling up your emotions is never a good thing to do. It can tear a person down in no time, and I know that all too fuckin' well." Scott laughs at himself. "Yet, time and time again, I find myself in this situation, where my mind is destroying me and I'm just letting it happen."

My heart aches in my chest as I listen to Scott, and as I look up at him, I truly see the agony on his face. This man that I've known for so long and have given such a big chunk of my heart to over the years is in distress, and there really isn't any way that I can help him right now.

I move so that I can pull Scott into a big hug, and after a moment, he wraps his arms around me as well. We stand there, just holding each other close, until I pull back. This is my best friend and he's hurting more than I can understand. He's been by my side through all of my bullshit; I just really wish I could return the favor.

"Get yourself some help, Scott. Please?" Every time I try and plead with him, I feel as though I sound like a broken record. "That's all I'm asking of you."

"I'll see what I can do, babe. Okay?" Scott finally tells me. I smile as he wraps an arm around me once more and pull me close again. I truly hope that he's being honest and not simply telling me what I want to hear.

"You'd better. I need your goofy ass." I tell him playfully as I push him back. Scott laughs and gives me a grin.

"I wondered where you two were." Kev's voice from behind my head makes me giddy. "Go ahead and get changed into your gear. Eric says that he wants to shoot some promos before the show."

"All right. We can do that." Scott sends me a smile before heading on in. I give Kev a wink before following Scott. Kev trails in behind me, and before long, we've met up with my least favorite piece of shit and started work on a bunch of different promos. I don't know how many of them will actually end up being used, as they're all quick and short. Really, I don't see a point in them, but I guess I'm fine with it as long as it gets Eric off my ass.

After Nitro, we head back to the hotel. Right as I exit the bathroom from slipping on my pajamas, I hear a sigh that I know oh-so-well come from the speakers of our phone .

"Hey, Shawn!" I greet as I walk over to mine and Kev's bed. I take a seat beside of my babe, who is leaning next to the phone with Scott.

"Oh hi, Jolene." Shawn sighs again.

"I'm here, too." Paul jokingly whines. I giggle.

"I'm glad you're here to hear this shit." Shawn continues. "I'll just start over, since I hadn't gotten very far into the story."

I look over at Kev with a confused look, but he just motions towards the phone. I shrug and look down at the device as Shawn starts rambling.

"All right, so, this Sunday at the Survivor Series, I'm facing my favorite person for the world title." Ah, Bret! Fuck Bret. "But you see, there's some shit that's making it a little worse, you know? Because, come on, let's face it, Bret and I can have damn good matches together. He's a pain in the ass, but he's got some skill."

"Right, right." I nod. "So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that Bret is heading over to your company on Monday." Aw man, really?? Shit. "His contract with Vince is up at midnight on Sunday and he doesn't want to drop the fuckin' belt to me. He's being a prick and we don't know what to do."

The whole thing sounds absolutely fuckin' ridiculous, but I don't doubt that Shawn is being truthful. I mean, really, what reason would he have to lie to us on this? He's been bitchin' about Bret for as long as I've known him, and really, this is exactly the kind of shit I think he'd do.

"So what, does he just not want to drop the belt because it's you?" Kev laughs in a mocking manner. "Or does he think that we want it over here?"

"Oh, it's completely because of me." Shawn scoffs. "It's bullshit, right?! Like, oh, I'm so fucking sorry that Vince wants me as champion, Bret! I'm sorry about your fuckin' luck, that is!"

"Do you have any ideas on how to get the belt from him?" Scott asks. He looks as baffled by this whole situation as the rest of us are.

"I've been saying that if Bret won't do the damn job, we do it for him." Paul chimes in. "Fuck Bret."

"He thinks that we should have some shenanigans at the end of the match." Shawn further explains. "You know, something like me putting Bret in a submission and having the ref ring the bell even though he doesn't tap."

"Sounds perfect to me." I smirk. "If he's being a little bitch and absolutely refuses to do business, well, sometimes you've got to take matters into your own hands."

"Yeah, but-" Shawn starts to talk, but Paul cuts him off.

"But nothing. I told you they'd agree with me."

"Actually, they didn't. Joli did." Shawn corrects him. I chuckle.

"I'm glad my opinion means so much to you, Shawn." I tease him.

"That's not what I meant, Joli. Come on, now." Shawn whines.

"All right, anyway, what do you think, Scott and Kev? It's a good idea to screw Bret out of the title, right?" Paul stops Shawn's bitchin' once more.

"Yeah, honestly, I think it's what you'll have to do." Scott says in agreement. "Bret has always had it out for you, because you're better and more over than he is. There's no way you're going to be able to convince him to drop that title to you."

"Where's the event at?" Kev asks.

"Montreal, of all fuckin' places." Shawn groans.

"Oh, yeah, you're definitely fucked, then." Kev gives a short, tart laugh. "You're going to have to literally take that damn belt from Bret. You don't have any other options. It's sketchy as all fuck, but brother, you've got to do it."

The other line goes quiet for a moment, and I'm sure it's because Shawn is trying to process everything. I've got to give him credit on this, he's being really fucking mature about the whole matter. There aren't many people in the business who would actually have any bit of doubt or remorse about screwing someone out of their world title, even in a situation like this. But hey, sometimes you really don't have any other options.

"Okay." Shawn finally speaks up. "We'll call Vince and see what he thinks about all of this. I don't really like it, but I don't know if there's any way around it at this point."

"I really doubt there is, brother." Scott frowns. "Bret's just an ass."

"I know, I know..." Shawn sighs. "It feels wrong, but fuck it. I'll get over it."

"Besides, he'll be out of your hair after that. If he starts any shit over here at WCW, we'll take care of him." I laugh. "Which, he probably will. But oh boy, I'm looking forward to seeing his smiling face on Monday."

"You know," Kev says thoughtfully, "I don't know if I've ever really seen Bret smile. Huh."

"No, wait!" Scott laughs. "Remember that one cover of the WWF magazine, where he's at the computer with the kids? He's smiling there!"

All four of the Kliq boys burst into fuckin' laughter. I'm left in the damn dark, like someone just cut off the electricity.

"What? I feel like I'm missing something important." I pout.

"Oh my God, Joli, next time we all get together, I'll bring a fuckin' copy of it." Paul snickers. "It's some dumb issue of the magazine and it had Bret on the cover of it, and he's standing next to a computer with some kids. I think it actually had a pic of our Kid in the corner of it."

Now it's my turn to burst into laughter. I'm just picturing it in my head, and I know that the actual thing is going to be leaps and bounds funnier than what I'm imagining.

"That sounds so fucking perfect. I may need to print a copy of that off, depending on how things go Monday." I tell Paul once my laughter has subsided.

"I'll just mail you a copy." God bless Paul.

"I'll frame it and place it on my coffee table." I tell him. Paul and I both laugh.

"But, I guess we'll get off here." Shawn sighs. "We'll talk to you guys later!"

"Have fun with Bret!" Kev chuckles. "We'll keep an eye out for ya, buddy. Don't take it too hard."

I hear a smack from the other end of the phone.

"Don't look like that!" Paul scolds. "Later, guys."

"Bye!" We all tell them in unison. As soon as we hang up the phone, Kev turns to me.

"You've never met Bret, have you?" My babe gives me a grin. I shake my head.

"I've never had any interest in him. He seems like a dick."

"Oh, he is. And he's going to be in a horrible damn mood on Monday, you know that, right?" Kev chuckles once more.

"I don't doubt it. I bet he'll be friends with Eric." The thought comes to my mind and it just makes so much sense. "Just a couple of dicks hanging out with one another."

"That's really all they are, huh?" Kev chuckles before leaning back on our bed. He pulls me down with him, and I snuggle up to his side.

God, I love Kev so much. Nothing else really matters, as long I've got him. Fuck Eric and fuck Bret. Who needs their bitchy asses anyway?

Chapter 44: our dear friend

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

"When's he gonna be here? I've gotta talk to him." I look down at my little babe, who is wearing this huge mischievous smile on her lips. I can't help but chuckle.

I know Joli's going to give Bret absolute hell today, and to be honest, I don't blame her. He caused so many problems for our brothers in the WWF by not doing his damn job, so really, he deserves it. I mean, fuck, he caused problems for me whenever I was there. It's been a while since Joli's really had a chance to fuck with someone, so I'm sure she'll go all-out.

I mean, she's eventually going to give Eric what he deserves, but until then, we've got Bret.

"He should be here soon, if I had to guess. He's always one to be early." I tell Joli as I look around the backstage area. I'm really excited to see his face, because I know he's probably going to have this bitter expression on it.

"Yeah, I'd say he'll be around soon. Let's see..." Scott mutters. Joli and I watch as he walks over to the corner and glances around it. He quickly comes back to us with a grin. "He's at the end of the hallway. He's talking to Eric."

"Of fucking course he is!" Joli snickers. "Perfect."

We move back against a nearby wall and wait for Bret to come by. As soon as he comes into sight, Joli practically jumps off of the wall and heads over to him.

"Howdy!" She greets him with a totally not devilish grin. "I'm Jolene."

"Oh, I'm quite aware of who you are." Bret's so not amused by Joli. "You're Jolene Milford, and you're big with the Kliq."

The moment Bret begins talking, Joli has to bite her lower lip. She's about to fuckin' burst into laughter and I know it. It's hilarious to watch, really.

"I most certainly am. Those are my boys." Joli declares proudly. Bret scoffs and rolls his eyes at her.

"I figured as much." Bret goes to walk off, but Joli jumps right in front of him and stops him. "Please, excuse me. I don't really want to talk to you, miss."

"Aw, come on, Bret. Why not?" Joli leans up to ruffle Bret's hair. I can feel the fuckin' heat from here. "I think we could be friends!"

"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in being friends with some little bitch who hangs out with a bunch of assholes."

Instinctively, I want to break his fuckin' neck for calling my girl a bitch, but Joli's got this completely under control.

"I mean, come on, I'd rather be a bitch than a bitter old toad. Live a little, Bretster!" Joli giggles. I know oh-so-well that everything she says is getting completely under Bret's skin. He's so easy to aggravate and my girl is doing her best to tick him off.

Bret goes to push her back, but Joli jumps before he gets the chance to touch her. At this point, I can't really stand back anymore, so I nudge Scott and nod towards Bret. We walk over to him, and I place a hand on one of his shoulders while Scott takes the other.

"You really want to try and fuck with me, Hart? Come on. I just wanted to be friends." Joli frowns as Scott and I keep Bret in place. He scowls and looks between me and Scott before turning back to Joli.

"You don't want to be friends; you just want to either have me for yourself or have your boys here mess with me. I don't appreciate it." Bret's response makes all of us laugh.

"Come on, man, I don't want you. I have standards. I'm honestly a little offended that you think that I would be interested in you like that." Joli sighs dramatically. "Welcome to WCW!" She grins and then winks at Bret before looking up at me and Scott. "Let's go, boys."

"I don't know what kinds of games you're trying to play with me, but I'm definitely not in the mood for it. I've had a pretty rough time the past twenty-four hours and I don't want to deal with your Kliq bullshit." Bret's pissed, but it makes me fuckin' grin.

"Why are you so boring, dude? We're just trying to have some fun." Joli's trying her best to not burst back into laughter. The amused look on her face makes me happy.

"I'm not boring, I just don't have any patience for people like you." Bret says coldly before pushing past all of us and darting down the hallway. We watch him leave before we all start laughing.

I guess we get a little too loud, because Eric comes sauntering over to us with this ugly frown on his face. I always tense up when he comes to us and he's frowning, because it usually means he's about to start some sort of bullshit.

"Good afternoon, Bischoff." Joli only slightly hides the aggrivation in her voice. "To what do we owe the honor?"

"I was actually just coming to see what all of the commotion was about. I could hear the three of you from a mile away." Eric is overexaggerating his disappointed tone.

"Ah, come on, I doubt that. You probably couldn't hear us from that far away." I tease him. Of course, Eric isn't amused.

"What were the three of you laughing at?" Eric continues to pester.

"We were just enjoying a good, joyous moment before we began work on tonight's show. Is that so wrong?" Joli crosses her arms over her chest. Now she's fucking with Eric! God, I love this woman.

"I don't suppose so." Eric says after pausing for a moment. "But, I would appreciate it if you kept it down back here."

"We're very sorry about that. We'll just go see our dear friend Bret instead!" Joli tries her best to keep a shit-eating grin off her face.

"I don't want any of you causing any problems for him, okay?" Eric tells us sternly, looking from Joli to me to Scott. "Bret Hart is going to be a huge addition to WCW and I don't want you three giving him a hard time."

"We wouldn't ever dream of doing such a thing." I place a hand over my heart. "We love Bret!"

I can tell by the shifty look in Eric's eyes that he doesn't believe us, but that's okay. Instead of arguing with us more, though, Eric pats me on the back and gives us a smile.

"Well, I've got other business to attend to. Behave yourselves, Kevin, Scott, and Jolene."

None of us really give him any sort of goodbye. We just kind of turn around and begin walking off towards our locker room.

Somewhere along the way, Kim comes and takes Joli off so that they can get changed into their gear. Scott and I sit around together for a while, but it's weird. We start changing into our gear in silence.

"You okay, Scott?" I ask him in an off-handed manner as I slip on my boots. He looks over at me as he pulls his vest out of his bag.

"Oh, I'm fine, man. Promise." Scott gives me a grin, but I can't actually read him. He sounds fine, and he looks fine, but I have a hard time believing him.

"All right, cool. I just wanted to check in on you." I finish tying my boots before I stand up and stretch. I pull my hair back and toss on some random ass ball cap before I turn back to Scott. By this point, he's finished changing into his gear as well.

"You want to go grab some food at catering before the show? Joli should be finishing up soon, and I'm sure she and Kim will meet us there. Fuck, Dallas is probably somewhere around here." Scott's sounding just like his old self, and that makes me damn happy, but I'm skeptical.

I just want the best for my brother, I really, truly do.

"Sounds good to me. We can head on over there." I tell him with a grin. I like this. I want Scott to be in a good place.

But, of course, all good things must have something come in their way. While we're walking to catering, we run into everyone's favorite (s)hitman.

"Hey. There you are." Bret's voice is low. He walks up and stands in front of us, and he looks between me and Scott. "Which one of you is Jolene actually with? Or, are the three of you in some sort of open deal?"

"Scott's dating her in kayfabe, but I'm pretty much her's outside of it. What'd she do?" I know by Bret's expression that Joli's done something crazy to piss him off, but I'm excited to learn what exactly she did.

"Oh. Okay." Bret tries to get in my face, but I just fuckin' grin at him. He's glaring at me, but I don't care at all. "She's been fuckin' with me for the past half hour. She keeps asking me personal questions, and I don't like it. She really does come off as a bitch."

"So what, you're mad because she's trying to get to know you better?" I snicker. "That's a pretty petty thing to get mad over."

"Control your woman, Nash." Bret's trying his best to intimidate me, but like hell it works.

"Now buddy, I hate to break it to you, but Joli's her own woman. If she wants to tick you off, who am I to stop her?" Really, I don't know why he thinks I'm going to control her. "If you've got a problem with my girl, you'd be better off talking to her about it."

"She doesn't listen. She's really quite aggravating." Bret narrows his eyes at me.

"Aw, what a shame! Little Bret can't intimidate a woman into listening to him. Darn." I laugh mockingly. "Get on out of here. Go find some friends."

Bret glares at me for just a moment longer before backing down and getting out of my face. He's coming in here to WCW pissed off and thinking that he's going to fuckin' rule the place, but I hate to break it to him, that's never going to happen. You know who fuckin' rules WCW? Really, it's just four simple names.

Hogan. Nash. Hall. Milford.

I'm sure Eric likes to think that he's up there with us, but that's not the truth. We're the ones that lead this business, no matter what anyone else says. It's a hard task, and it's frustrating most of the time, but someone has to do it. I'd much rather lead this shit than follow Bret's command.

Just the thought of listening to Bret bark orders makes me shudder. He's so fuckin' bad, man.

Right as Bret goes to leave, of course Eric comes walking by. He instantly notices the look of unhappiness on Bret's face and goes rushing over to him, like he's a damn baby. I mean, he is a baby, but that's aside the point.

"What have these hooligans been doing to you, Bret?" Eric asks with such a concerned tone.

"Hey yo, Eric!" Scott whistles and gets their attention. "You tryin' to take care of all of Bretty-Boy's special needs over there?" Scott imitates sucking a cock and I fuckin' lose my shit. Neither Bret nor Eric are amused, but I don't think either me or Scott care.

"I'm going to end up kicking all of their asses." Bret scowls. "Razor's, Diesel's, and Milford's, too."

"What did I tell you two about treating Bret with respect?" Eric starts to scold us. "There's no need for the two of you to-"

"Hey, Scott! Kevin! Great!" Dallas cuts Eric off and as he walks over to me and Scott. He links all of our arms together, and it's obvious he's come in for the save. "Sorry to interrupt you all, but we've got a little bit of a problem I need their help with!"

Eric, who has always had a hard-on for Dally, instantly furrows his brows. "Is everything okay, Page? I can help, if you-"

"Ah, it's okay, Eric!" Dallas waves him off with the hand that is attached to his arm that's linked with Scott's. "They can handle it! Thanks, though!"

We scurry off before Eric and Bret get a chance to start running their mouths again. As we flee from the scene, I turn to Dally with a fuckin' smirk.

"So, brother, what's this big problem?" I ask.

"Oh, it's actually something horrible." Dallas jokingly laughs. "It's bad."

"What's wrong?" Scott chimes in with a laugh.

We continue our brief sprint as Dally tells us solemnly, "Sis can't find her cigarettes."

"Fuck," Scott mutters under his breath.

"Oh no." I mutter. Come on, let's be honest here for a moment.

Bret is bad. Eric is bad. But Jolene Alice Milford not being able to find her cigarettes?

Oh, that's worse than both those fuckers combined.

"We're coming, babe!" I tell with a laugh as we rush off. I look over at Dally and Scott, and the three of us exchange grins.

Let's go save the staff and workers from Joli's wrath.

Chapter 45: there's only so much a man can do

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

I watch Joli exit our hotel room before a sigh comes from my lips. I don't know where she's going, but really, it isn't any of my business. I know she'll be back soon enough, so that's okay with me.

I feel so weird whenever it's just the two of us on trips now, because the whole experience is always so heartbreaking. We share a bed, because Eric refuses to let us buy two-bed rooms, unless that's the only option, but she never faces me. I miss the days when I could just wrap my arms around Joli and bring her close. She's physically so close, but at the same time, I feel like she's so far away.

Fuck.

As I get out of bed and walk over to one of the corners of the room to grab a beer, I recall Joli saying something last night about her needing to run out early and do some shopping. We've got a busy day of press shit, and I think she wanted to get that out of the way beforehand. I'll probably be here by myself for a while.

I crack open my beer and then walk over to my travel bag. As I take a few quick drinks of the refreshing alcohol, I rummage through my bag in order to find a crumpled little piece of paper. I know I shouldn't be turning to a rat right now, but you know what? I really don't care. No one's going to fuckin' know it happened.

I walk over to the phone and dial up the rat's number. As I wait for her to answer, I chug my beer. Is it a good idea to be drinking like this at, what, six in the morning? Probably not. I'll make it, though. I always do.

The chick answers and I give her our room number, and she promises she'll be here ASAP. I hang the phone up and then go to get myself another beer. By the time the chick arrives, I've already downed three and a half of them. The rate at which I've downed my booze has left me a tad bit lightheaded, but it's no big deal. I can still preform.

She's a hot little number, with long, blonde hair and tits bigger than her brain. As I bend her over the bed and drop my shorts, I find myself trying not to sigh.

I'm ready for a quick fuck. It's been a long time since I've really been able to get off. Since this angle began, I've had to try and keep things secret. Now, I honestly don't care. I just need to blow a load.

As I'm fuckin' the bitch, I'm also downing more booze. She's going crazy and selling the fuckin' hell out of it, but I'm just going through the motions. At some point, she has me pull out and lay down so that she can ride me. That makes everything a lot better. I toss my empty bottle to the side and return my attention to chick on top of me.

I get so into it that I don't notice someone's at the door until a big burst of light hits us. I look over and see Joli staring over at me with a look of shock. She's got a coffee cup in one hand and a few shopping bags in the other.

She doesn't even say anything. She just walks back out and closes the door.

I turn my attention back to my rat. I get my release before telling her to get off of me. She quickly throws her clothes on before scurrying out of the room. I begrudgingly put my boxers and my shorts on as Joli comes back in.

"I thought you'd be gone longer." I tell her with a shrug. "Sorry you had to see that."

Joli stares at me for a moment, but after I take one quick glance at her, I look away. I know where this conversation is going to go, and I'm not ready for it. She's going to start scolding me again, like always. I hate it. I know I'm not good enough for her. I know. I know. I know.

"Scott..." Joli starts as she walks over to me. I turn my head as she tries to get closer. "You're really drunk already? It's not even seven in the morning!"

Here we go.

"I didn't drink that much." I object, turning my gaze to the ceiling. "Just enough to calm myself down."

"Bullshit." Joli hisses. "You know that we have a lot of important things to do today! We've got press shit, vignettes, and photoshoots out the ass. I was gone for less than an hour!"

She's making good points, and if I didn't already feel like I was dead inside, I might listen to her. Instead, I just sit down on the edge of the bed and shrug.

"I'll do whatever I need to today. I always make it." I tell Joli as I stare at the floor. My head is starting to hurt, and this really isn't helping.

"Because booze and sex is always the answer to your problems, right? Because it's so much easier to just get drunk and fuck then try and actually work through things?" Joli's voice has started to raise and I just wish she'd drop it. I know I fucked up.

"Maybe I didn't handle things the way I should've." I look up at Joli. She looks like she's fuckin' hurt, and huh, I can relate to that! "But you know, there's only so much a man can do when his dick is fuckin' hard and his fuckin' mind is a wreck. So yeah, maybe I do fuck around and get drunk to ease my pain. It's not like it's anything new! It's a hell of a lot easier to cope when you can just down a drink and put your cock into someone that won't ever be in your life again!"

Joli's silent for a moment as my words sink in, but in the blink of an eye, she's got this angry expression on her face. She shoves me back, and in my drunken, unprepared state, I end up landing with my back on the bed. I slowly force myself up onto my elbows, so that I can look back at her.

"Why is it so hard for you to talk to me these days?" Joli's voice is soft, and I swear, it looks like she's about to fuckin' cry. "Why is it just so easy for you to push me away?"

"Joli, I-" I stutter, but Joli cuts me off.

"I just want to go back to the days where you were my best friend and you trusted me. Back when we could talk for hours about nothing at all, yet, if something got rough, we were there for each other." Joli sighs and takes a seat beside of me on the bed. "Scott, please, just let me back in."

I don't know what to say. Really, my words have just fuckin' escaped me. I move so that Joli and I are side by side, and, as I still try to find something to say, I wrap an arm around her. I just hold Joli close while we sit there for a moment.

I've hurt her so much, and that's the last thing I ever wanted to do. I thought I could spare her from this by pushing her away, but it seems that I've actually just accomplished the opposite of what I desired. Oh God, I'm such a fucking asshole.

"I'm sorry, Joli." I finally tell her. "I'm honestly just so fucking sorry about all of this. I've been so busy sulking and hurting that I didn't think about how you felt." I chuckle mockingly at myself. "I'm the worst. Why do you even put up with me?"

"Don't start that." Joli bumps my chest with the back of her hand. She's staring up at me with this aching look in her pretty green eyes and it's killing me. "You're not horrible, Scott. You really aren't. I just want you to trust me."

I can tell that she's got more on her mind, so I don't even try to say anything. Hell, I'm not sure I'd even know what to say anyway.

"I don't know if it's something that I did to push you away, or if it's just something you've done on your own. I mean," Joli hesitates for a moment, "I know you've had a rough time since Kev and I started our thing, and I'm so sorry about that. We both love you so much, Scott, and we really don't want to hurt you. I don't want anything like that to come between us."

"Joli, it's really not because of you and Kev. I'm a fuckin' mess, but that's not the reason. You haven't ever been anything but fantastic to me, and really, I don't deserve someone as kind as you." She opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "You haven't pushed me away at all. It's all been on me. I trust you completely, but it's just..."

I want to tell her everything, about the habits and actions that are slowly killing me. I want to tell Joli all about all of the shit Eric is putting me through and all of the horrible things that he's made me do. I never wanted to get in this situation in the first place, but now I'm in too deep and it's literally destroying me. I can't think straight, I'm always in some sort of emotional distress, and if I'm not boozed up, I feel even more like shit.

Speaking of which, maybe I need some more alcohol in me right now?

"I just want you to be okay. There's so much going on in your big, thick skull and I feel like I'm just having to sit back helplessly as you wreck yourself. I feel like I'm going to be praising you until I'm blue in the face, but I mean all of it. You're a hilarious, kind-hearted, caring guy and I really do care for you greatly." Goddammit, don't say it like that. "Is there any way that I can get you to open up to me? To let me back in like you used to?"

I sigh heavily and run a hand over my damp, sweat-soaked hair. I just can't believe that I'm all that great, or that I'm as wonderful as she tells me. I wish I could listen to everything Joli tells me and not question her, but I just can't.

"I'm sorry, Joli," I tell her softly. "I just can't talk to you about this. I don't want you to feel as bad as I do about all of this, and I certainly don't want you to put any unnecessary blame on yourself. It isn't your fault that I'm like this. It's all on me."

We sit there in silence for a few more moments. I know that wasn't the answer that Joli wanted, but it's all I've got for her right now. She shouldn't have to deal with the burden that is my mind. She's got her own shit to deal with.

I'm taken off guard when Joli throws both of her arms around me and hugs me tightly. She buries her face against my bare, hairy chest as I put my arms around her as well and hold her close. She doesn't say anything, she just holds me. I can't tell if she's trying to comfort me or herself more.

I've missed this simple type of contact with Joli so much, and honestly, in some way, it's making me hurt more. I guess it's just because I know this won't last.

"If you ever feel like talking, I'm still here." Joli pulls back sooner than I'd hoped, but I don't blame her. She smiles at me so sadly and I just wish that I could make her feel better. "I always will be."

"Thank you." I tell her simply. "You really are my best friend, even though I treat you how I should." I playfully nudge Joli with my elbow and give her a small smile. "You're too good for me, Jolene."

Joli winks at me and then stands up. She nods towards the bathroom and gives me a grin. "Go wash the sex off, Bad Guy. We've got shit to do today."

She's suddenly acting as if everything is completely fine, and honestly, I need that right now. I nod to Joli and then force myself off of the bed so that I can go grab some clothes.

"Joli?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks again."

She gives me a damn beautiful smile. "You're welcome."

God bless this woman and all of the hell she's gone through for me.

Chapter 46: for so long

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I roll over in bed for what seems like the twentieth time in the past hour and sigh. I feel so damn restless, and I've got this weird feeling in me that I can't shake. I know what it is; it's almost the anniversary of the day Thomas and I got divorced. It's been nearly eight years and I've come so far. I'm proud of myself.

As I glance down at Kev's big arm, which is wrapped loosely around my side, I can't help but smile. I love this sleeping man so very much, and really, I don't know where I would be without him. He's done so much for me, and I hope he realizes that.

I glance over at the clock on the wall and inwardly groan. I wish I could sleep, but I know that's not something that's going to happen right now. I'm extra careful as I slip out of bed, because I don't want to wake Kev up.

He's such a handsome motherfucker and he's loyal to me. I'm blessed.

I take a quick trip to the bathroom attached to Kev's bedroom before grabbing my cigarettes and my lighter off of my nightstand and heading outside. It occurs to me halfway through the living room that it's probably cold as fuck outside, so I sneak back in and grab one of Kev's hoodies. I slip it on and then go out on the back porch. I sit on the steps, with my back to the door.

I light myself up a smoke before bending over, where my elbows rest on my knees and my chin rests on one of my palms.

1997 has been one hell of a year, for better and for worse. I had my first injury in the business, but I also admitted my feelings to both Kev and Scott. Kev's made my life better each and every day since we started working towards our relationship, and I'm so glad that I have him. Scott? Fuck, I don't know if I even want to think about all of the shit he's been through this year.

I hope he's okay right now, and not drunk off of his ass or doing God-knows-what.

I take a long drag on my cigarette as my mind plays back through the damn angle with Scott, from the beginning to wherever the hell we're at now. I really don't think that it will last much longer, because the crowd doesn't seem to be as into us as they once were. Or, maybe that's just me misreading things because I want this catastrophe to end? I'm not sure at this point.

The cigarette I've been smoking is starting to reach it's end, so I haul my ass up and look for something to use as an ash tray. I head back inside for just a moment to grab an empty beer bottle to use from the top of the trash, then return to my previous position.

I find myself lost in thoughts of the chaotic year of 1997 until I hear the door open behind me. I turn around and see Kev walking over to me. By the wobbly way he moves, I can tell he's just now starting to fully wake up.

"There you are, girly. I wondered where the fuck you went." I love the tired little chuckle that Kev does after he speaks. "I woke up to go piss and you were gone."

"Sorry, babe." I give him a grin. I scoot over, so that he can sit beside of me. "I just couldn't sleep."

"So you decide to come freeze your pretty little ass off out here?" Kev jokes. "I know you're used to some pretty bad winters in Virginia, but you've not experienced how fuckin' bad it can get here in Michigan."

Kev wraps an arm around my shoulders and I instantly lean over close to him. His presence is just so comforting to me, and honestly, I hadn't noticed that I had gotten as cold as I had until his warmth started to overtake me.

"I guess we'll just have to find ways to keep warm then, huh?" I wink at Kev and he laughs.

"I mean, I'm all up for fucking to keep from freezing, but I think we'd be a lot better off just staying indoors." Kev places a kiss on the top of my head. I shrug and then smile at him.

"I mean, you're probably right about that."

"Probably?" Kev playfully rolls his eyes. "I'd say I'm pretty damn right."

I smile at Kev and then lean against him for a few more moments. My mind is swirling and I think it's finally time to talk to him about whats been fucking me up for so long.

"I need to talk to you, Kev. I've, uh... I've got so much shit I should've told you already, but I've been putting it off because it's hard for me to talk about." I take a deep breath and then look up at my love. There's this look of understanding that has come to Kev's face, but he also looks shocked. I'm sure he didn't expect me to bring this up at this hour.

"Uh, yeah, of course, babe. Let's go inside, okay?" Kev stands up and reaches a hand down to me. As I take his hand and he pulls me up, he says, "We can talk about whatever you want."

I nod and, with my smoking materials in hand, I follow Kev into the house. We take a seat on the couch and then turn so that we can face each other. Kev places a hand on my knee as I pull out a cigarette and hold it rather tightly between two of my fingers.

I feel horrible right now, but I know I'll feel a lot better once I get this off my chest. Kev deserves the know the truth and he deserves to know why I've been so difficult all of this time. I should have talked to him about this earlier, but just thinking about it brings me so much pain.

"Joli, if you really don't want to talk about this right now, you don't have to." Kev tells me as he gently rubs my knee. "If it's too much for you, really, you don't have to talk about it. As curious as I am, what matters is if you're okay. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to."

I lean forward and give Kevin a long, soft kiss. As we pull back, I can tell that he understands that this is just something I have to do.

"All right, babe. Just tell it all at your own pace." Kev smiles at me before leaning back on the couch. I take a deep breath before beginning my story.

I tell him everything about how the man that I thought was the love of my life turned out to be nothing more than a manipulative, abusive, coward. While I smoke, I talk about how Thomas had me wrapped around his finger from the moment we first spoke all the way until I saw through his disguise. Throughout our conversation, Kev goes from looking horrified to pissed off to absolutely devastated.

As I tell Kev about my infertility, I end up breaking down into tears. I don't know how my future with Kev is going to go, but Goddamn, I hope it's good. I know he'll be nothing like Thomas, but as far as us the two of us starting a family together, what can we do?

I bury my face in Kev's chest as he rubs my back. He whispers sweet, soothing sounds into my ears until I finally calm down enough to pull back and look at him. Kev wipes my tears away as I take another deep breath and attempt to completely settle down.

"If you ever wanted to have children, I'm honestly so fucking sorry, Kev." I swallow hard. "Unless some sort of miracle happens, there's probably no way that I'll be able to do that for you. If that's a problem for you, I understand, but-"

"Jolene, please, don't apologize again for something that is completely out of your control. Later on, if we want to try for a child, we will; I've always liked the idea of being a dad, but if it never happens, I'll be okay." Kev places a kiss on my forehead. "As long as I'm able to have you at my side, I'll be just fine."

I find myself wanting to cry again, but I stop the tears from flowing. I love this sweet, handsome, patient man more than I can explain. I really don't know how I could make it without him.

"That truly means so much to me. I really can't explain how much. It's just..." I shake my head. "Thomas put so much pressure on me about everything, especially things that were out of my hands. All of this time, even though I trust you completely, I've just been afraid that if we got together, then..."

I trail off, but Kev picks up where I leave off.

"I promise you that things will not change in a negative way between us once we get together, baby. Regardless of what our official status is, I'll still treat you with the same fuckin' love and respect that I treat you with now. In all honesty, I don't know how anyone could ever have treated you badly. You're such a damn great woman and I'm just fuckin' flabbergasted that there's some little piece of shit out there that would take advantage of you."

I really don't know what to say at this point, because once again, Kev has taken my breath away. How did I ever find someone as great as him? Really?

With everything in me, I believe that Kev is telling me the truth. My heart and my ability to romantically trust others has been so damaged for so long, but for the first time in years, I'm finally starting to feel as though everything is going to be okay. I'm not as worried now as I once was about finding someone who would be perfect for me.

He's been right here waiting on me this entire time, and I couldn't ask for anyone better. This tall, bushy-haired, tattooed, muscular, goofball is my world and he's saved from myself and my past.

"I... I fucking love you, Kevin." I chuckle softly as I give Kev a big smile. "Really, you're the best."

"Come here, honey." Kev grins and pulls me into his big arms and onto his laps. He keeps one arm wrapped around my waist while his other hand cups my left cheek. "Jolene, I fuckin' adore you, you know that, right?" I can't help but smile like a fool as I nod. "I hate that you've been through so much shit in your life, but I promise you, I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you ever again, not as long as I can prevent it. And fuck, if something does happen, I'll be here. You're stuck with me."

We both laugh before I lean down and kiss Kev once again. I place my hands on his shoulders as our lips connect, but after a moment, I pull back. Kev strokes a strand of hair out of my face before giving my cheek a quick kiss.

"I think it'd be better to say that you're stuck with me, because, come on, let's face it; out of the two of us, I'm the one that can be more difficult to deal with." I jokingly tell Kev, though I can't help but wonder if there's a bit of truth in that. Huh.

"Ah, I wouldn't say that!" Kev snickers. "You're not the least bit difficult to deal with. At least, no more so than I am. I like to think that we can raise an equal amount of hell."

"I can agree with that. We're both wild." I giggle.

"We are, but in all the right ways." Kev's right. I look into his intoxicating, dark eyes and find myself lost.

"You know, I've never been happier than during this time I've spent with you. Since we started this whole thing - hell, since you came back to WCW - I've just been so happy. I love you, Kev." I'm just in the mood to speak from the heart, I guess. The look of pure excitement that comes onto Kev's face, though, makes my heart melt.

"I love you too, Jolene. I'm glad that I've been able to keep you in such a good mood." He kisses me once more, in such a pure, loving manner. "You keep a smile on this ugly mug; it's nice that I can return the favor."

This man is too good for me, I swear. He always knows how to make a girl feel special, that's for sure.

After we sit around a moment more, just enjoying each other's presence, Kev stands up and lays me over his shoulder. I stare at his nice ass as he picks up my smokes and takes us to the bedroom. I'm really not sure why this is the way he chose to carry me, but with the nice view, I can't really complain; I just wish that the black pajama pants he's wearing were a little more flattering.

Kev sits my cigarettes and my lighter down on my nightstand before basically dropping me onto the bed.

"Fuck!" I squeak as my back suddenly connects with his soft mattress. "At least warn a lady before you make her take a damn bump like that." I playfully whine. Kev laughs and lays down beside of me.

"Sorry, babe," Kev gives me a smug grin, "I thought you'd be used to me slamming you down on the bed. I was wrong."

"Shut up." I laugh as I bump his arm with my fist. Kev just pulls me in close and nibbles on my ear, making me squirm and giggle.

I love Kev so much, and really, I feel a lot better now that I've told him about everything that went on between me and Thomas.

Maybe it's just about time that we made things official?

Chapter 47: another night

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

The last way I ever want to spend my Saturday night is in Eric Bischoff's hotel room in my pajamas, but of fucking course, that's where I end up. I stare at the motherfucker with half-lidded eyes as he goes on and on about the future of WCW. I'm tired.

Why the fuck did he call us in here at this hour to talk about work? Fuck. What a wonderful day off has this ended as.

"... So you see, at the end of the month, we'll be starting WCW Thunder. It'll be pre-recorded and air on Thursday nights! It's genius, really." Eric explains with a cheeky smile. "There will be a lot more that needs be done on our workers ends, especially on the three of you and Hulk, but it'll be okay. I swear, it won't be too bad, though."

"Uh-huh, right." My girl sounds so tired. "Now, I get what you're saying, and I'm totally sure that this won't end up being a painful decision in the future, but I have one big question about all this."

Eric nods and widens his smile. "Of course, Jolene. What is it?"

"Why the fuck couldn't you wait until the morning to talk to us about this? And actually, I'll make this two questions." Joli shakes her head. "What the fuck are we supposed to do about it tonight?"

She's asking good questions, and Eric doesn't like this. His big ol' eyebrows furrow together and he pouts at Joli.

"I just wanted to talk three of my favorite, biggest stars on this lovely evening and inform them of changes that will be happening in the company in the following days. Is that so wrong, Jolene?"

"No, but hauling our asses out of bed in the evening is pretty wrong. If we had all actually gotten settled in bed, there's no way we would've come out here." I tell Eric bluntly. I point between me, Joli, and Scott; we're all dressed for bed.

Joli's in these cute little snowflake pajamas and Scott's in some fuckin' sweatpants and a jacket. My ass is out here in these tacky little plaid pants and some old, long-sleeved tee. Scott's the only one of us that looks like he could possibly be dressed for a meeting.

"I do apologize for the late-night call, but I really did want to talk to you all. I'm sorry." Eric places a hand on his heart, as if that's supposed to make him seem more sincere.

News flash, Eric: it doesn't. It just makes you seem like even more of a dick.

"If we're done here, can we go?" Joli questions with a yawn. My poor girl looks like she just wants to hit the hay. "I'm tired."

"I'm sorry, I do have a few more things that I'd like to talk to the three of you about first. I mean, you're already out here, so we might as well knock everything out at once, right?" Eric stops us in our tracks.

Joli scoffs and mutters, "I can think of one thing around here I'd like to knock out." She doesn't even try to hide her little remark from Eric, and I think that great. Of course, Eric isn't too thrilled.

"Threats are taken very seriously around here, Jolene," She rolls her eyes, "and I don't believe your sweet lover would take kindly to you speaking of him like that." Eric turns to me with a stupid grin. "Unless you're into that kind of thing, Kevin?"

"Oh fuck off." Joli's not in the mood for his shit, and I know Scott and I aren't, either. "You know who I was talking about."

"If we're going to be stuck in here talking to you for a while longer, can you at least answer something for us?" Scott changes the subject. "I'd say you owe us that, right?"

For just a moment, it looks like Eric wants to argue with him, but he decides against it. Instead, he nods to Scott and asks, "What is it?"

"When's Kid coming back?" Scott lays out the question that's been on our minds for the past few months. "We've been pestering the hell out of him, but he's not really told us shit. If he's just healing a few injuries that had accumulated over time, he shouldn't be gone for too much longer, right?"

As soon as Scott mentions Kid, a look of genuine surprise comes onto Eric's face. He looks at Scott, and then me, and then Joli, studying all of our reactions. I don't know what he's looking for, but apparently, we don't give it to him. Eric bursts into laughter for just a quick moment before regaining his composure.

"You're serious?" Eric clears his throat as he once more scans between the three of us. We all nod. "You three still haven't realized that he's been suspended for drugs? He's not reliable, guys! Come on. I wrote him off for a few months so that he could get his head back on straight. I thought you all knew this by now."

It honestly surprises me how much a person can wake up when they get pissed off. The moment Eric starts talking shit about our boy, Scott, Joli, and I all spring into action. It's as if we're completely well-rested all of a sudden.

"Don't start shitting on a guy that can't even fuckin' defend himself." I tell Eric.

"And don't act like we're idiots for not knowing what your shady plans are." Joli hisses.

"Besides, Kid is damn reliable! He's always been there when any of us have needed him." Scott adds.

The look that crosses Eric's face as he realizes he probably shouldn't have said anything like that is hilarious. He looks like a damn deer that's stuck in the headlights. However, being the quick little shit that he is, he comes up with a counter.

"Really? I wouldn't say that Sean is all that reliable, Scott." My stomach sinks as soon as I realize where Eric's going with this. Surely, he's not- "He's let you down a few times, hasn't he, Jolene?" He shrugs nonchalantly at Joli. "Like during your return?"

That motherfucker.

"You're going to shut your mouth if you know what's good for you, Eric." My girl's voice is laced with anger. "Trust me, I have no problem shutting it for you."

"Oh, Jolene, you don't mean that." Eric smirks. I want to knock that damn expression off his face. "I know that must've been hard on you. Really, that's one of those things that takes time to-"

Eric cuts off in the middle of his sentence as I walk over to his pitiful little ass and stand right in front of him. I glare down at the little fucker, like I did on my Nitro debut; this time, though, I'm not on camera, so I can do whatever I want. He's going too fuckin' far and I'm not going to let him keep this up.

"Can I help you, Kevin?" Eric's keeping his voice level, but I can tell he's basically shitting his pants.

"No, I'm fine. I just wanted to let you know that if you keep running your mouth like that, you're going to go through that window over there." I tell him coolly as I nod towards the big window in his room. We're only on the first floor, so his bitch ass wouldn't get hurt too bad. He's taken worse bumps in his life.

When Eric opens his mouth to speak again, I raise an eyebrow at him, as if to question if he really thinks that's a good idea. He stares at me for a moment with his mouth agape before shaking his head and giving me a pissed off smile.

"Let's just get on with what we were talking about beforehand, shall we?" Eric sounds like a little wuss.

"Fine with me." I give him a little grin and then pat his head.

I walk back over to Joli, and she looks like she's still about to pounce on Eric and rip his throat out. I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her close, so that I can try and provide some sort of comfort for her. Scott looks fuckin' crushed, and he's no doubt blaming himself and making himself feel horrible all because of shit Eric said.

I'm honestly so tired of Eric pulling all this shit. He needs to learn his place and stop trying to cause problems. He's going to keep pushing his luck until one of us fuckin' deck him.

It'll probably be Joli. Goddamn, I love my girl.

"I know we've been discussing a complete split of the nWo for several months now, but I wanted to let you all know that the split will be happing within the next three or four months. We're still finalizing the details of everything, but, I can officially share the details of who our two nWo leaders will be." Eric tells us with excitement in his voice. He's been really high on this idea since the beginning, so I'm not surprised.

"Who's it going to be?" Joli asks as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Surely, you're not putting yourself in charge of one of our groups?" The tone of her voice is only slightly joking. I'm sure none of us would be shocked if that was something Eric tried to do.

"Of course not." Eric acts hurt, but Joli just smiles smugly. She's the best. "Hulk will be in control of the original black and white nWo, which will go under the name of nWo Hollywood." He explains. "The leader of the red and black nWo, the nWo wolpac..." Eric trails off and gives me a big grin. "The leader of the wolfpac will be Kevin Nash."

Joli and Scott both turn to look at me, and honestly, I'm sure they can notice how off-guard I am by what Eric says. I figured either me or Scott would be chosen as the other leader, but really, I figured they'd choose Scott before they'd choose me. Huh. Isn't this something?

"You're giving me the leading role on it? You sure about that?" I ask Eric with a laugh. "I mean, sure, why not?"

"Where are we going during all of this?" Joli points between her and Scott. Scott looks fuckin' confused, but he's going with it. I think he's still upset from the conversation about Kid. "Like, are we going with Kev, or...?"

"We'll talk more about where everyone is going to be placed at the meeting at the end of the month, when we get all of our big nWo stars together to talk about the split. We still have a couple of more details we need to work on, based on how crowd reactions and merch sales progress." I'm assuming Eric is talking about Joli and Scott's on-screen relationship, but I could be wrong.

"All right. So, are we done now?" I really don't want to stay here with him much longer.

"Actually, we still have a few more things to discuss." Eric's reply makes us all groan. "I've got merch designs, schedules..."

The little shit keeps us in his room for another hour, just going over stupid things that easily could've waited until the morning. Eventually, we all just get fed up with his shit and leave. Eric's not as mad as he could have been, and that's probably because a big part of the reason he kept us so long was to fuck with us. We've been pissing him off as much as he's been pissing us off, and he's trying to punish us for it. I know he is.

As soon as we get back in our hotel room, Joli snuggles up under the covers and lets out an exasperated sigh. She sleepily grabs her ash tray, lighter, and cigarettes and then lights one up. I pat Scott on the back as I pass by him, and he lets out some sort of grunt to acknowledge me. We're all just fuckin' tired.

"Fuck Bischoff." Joli yawns as she exhales a big cloud of smoke. God, she's so cute when she's so tired. I slide into bed beside of her and lay one of my arms under her head. "Why'd he keep us out so late?"

"I don't know." I shrug as I cast my gaze over to Scott. He's buried himself under his covers and he's rolled with his back to us. "Scott?" I call out to him. "You okay, man?"

He doesn't really reply; at least, not verbally. He just kind of waves a hand at me before burying himself deeper in the bed.

I understand why Kid got suspended, but I don't see why Eric had to be such a damn prick about it. I mean, I'd kind of figured that drugs had something to do with it, when Kid flat-out refused to let us come see him, but come on.

I hope the Kid is all right, and that Scott doesn't take it too personally. Really, it's not his fault. Both of our boys have their problems.

Joli puts out her cigarette and then cuddles right up to my side. I hold her tightly as she drifts off into sleep, her cheek pressed softly against my chest.

Man, if I never have to spend another night in Eric's fuckin' hotel room, it'll be too soon.

Chapter 48: maybe then

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

My mind is fuckin' swirling as I sit on the edge of my bed, with my head in one hand and a beer in the other. The stress of all the shit in the company is really starting to tear me down, and I'm just so sick of it all.

I've got to try and talk to Eric. I don't want to, but I need to. Maybe, just fuckin' maybe if I let him know how much this shit is fuckin' killing me, he'll listen.

I mean, I doubt he will, but it's worth a shot, right?

I chug half of my beer before crawling up to the top of my bed and grabbing my house phone. I dial Eric's number, and after a few rings, he picks up.

"Hello?" He greets cheerfully.

"Hey." I say half-heartedly. "Eric, man, we've got to talk. I can't keep this shit up. It's killing me and I-"

"Hold on, let me get comfortable." Eric cuts me off. "We'll be on the phone for a while, I'm sure."

I sit here, just drinking my beer, until Eric gives me the signal to continue. I feel like he's already stalling and it's driving me mad. Why can't he just fuckin' cooperate with me for once?

"I'm just really not happy with the way things are going for me in the company right now, man. I mean, don't get me wrong, the money is amazing and there's no where else that I would rather work. It's just..." I shake my head as it starts to pound. "I feel like everything I'm doing is wrong and it's like I don't have any control over anything."

Honestly, I just want to turn my life over to the bottle, like I have in the past. I just want to say 'fuck it' and fall back into my old habits that have gotten me through everything so far, though really, I don't know if that's a good idea. I don't want to get suspended like Kid; I mean, who knows when he'll be back?

"I'm really not sure what you mean, Scott." Of course you don't. "You've had plenty of control so far. If there's something that you would like to change, please, just let me know. I'll definitely do anything that I can to help you out!"

I feel like he's just saying whatever he can to try and please me. I'm starting to feel like calling Eric was a bad idea. Fuck.

"We have to drop this angle between me and Joli. I know you're going to try and talk me out of this, and I know you're going to want me to shut up and stop bitching, but you've got to listen to me for just this once, okay? I have a lot of shit I need to say." I don't know how much he'll actually listen to me, but I have to get this out there.

"Say whatever you need to say, Scott." He's acting like he's such a fucking good guy. "I'm listening."

Here goes nothing, I guess. I take a deep breath before I start rambling off my feelings to my shitty 'boss.'

"Ever since Joli and I started this shitty kayfabe relationship, I feel like there's been some sort of fuckin' wedge driven between me and Joli and Kev. It's like I'm a constant source of frustration and aggravation to them, and I know I'm doing them more harm than good. Everything that was once okay in our friendship seems to have just gotten thrown out the window the moment you had me first kiss Joli on camera. It's stupid. I feel like each and every day, I die a little more inside."

I pause for a moment to gather my thoughts, so Eric pipes in, "I didn't know you felt this way, Scott."

"You didn't- Man, how could you not? I've not been myself. It's like I'm constantly fuckin' fighting with myself, and that leads to me fighting with Kev and Joli. Do you know how much it kills me to look at her sometimes? To see the disappointment in her eyes?" I mockingly laugh. "I've hurt Joli more than I can fuckin' believe, and it's all because you want to get your ratings up. I'm so tired of causing pain, Eric."

My heart aches so fuckin' badly. All of the apologies in the world can't take away my worries right now; that's something only my dangerous hobbies can do. I chug the remainder of my beer as I wait for Eric to come up with some sort of excuse for his actions. He never cares enough to really help.

"And why do you feel as though the angle has caused you so many problems in your personal life, Scott?" Eric finally asks. I feel my hand curl up into a fist as I listen to him, because he knows the damn answer. "Is it because of the way Kevin and Jolene have handled it? Or is because it's just an angle?"

Why does he get so much enjoyment out of torturing people? I don't understand it. With Eric, it's as if no one can really be happy for too long, because he's got to ruin all of their fun. He's such a little shit.

"Really, I don't know why you're hounding me on this." I tell him bluntly. "Why can't you just take my word on it? Why do you have to question it?"

"I can't help you if I don't fully understand the problem." I want to throw my phone at the wall. "Talk to me, my friend."

"First of all, I don't see how we're friends. You pay me and I do your fuckin' dirty work. That's all our relationship is, Eric, and that's all it'll ever be. I have no interest in knowing anything about your personal life, even though you're fascinated by mind." I can't help the cross tone in my voice. Realistically, yelling at the one that signs your checks like this isn't a good idea, but I don't know if I care at this point.

"Okay. I understand that." Eric tells me softly. "Just continue with what you were saying."

"I don't know what I was saying." I admit. "I guess the point I'm trying to get across is that I'm just done with all of this. If we can't change things in the company, I..."

"You'll what? Leave?" Eric's condescending tone fades as quickly as it appears. "If it's more money that you would like, I can get that for you. You're still under contract anyway, so leaving isn't really an option."

I groan and lower my head while one of my hands grabs a wad of my hair. Why is he so dense? Or is he just dumb?

"It's not about the damn money!" I finally snap. "It's about me not feeling like absolute shit all the fuckin' time! I shouldn't be feeling the way that I do, but it's all because you make my job a living hell. I don't even want to see my best friends anymore, because I know I've become a burden to them at your request. I can't keep doing your damn bidding."

I feel like I could cry, but nothing's coming out. This stress has become so much and I'm reaching my boiling point. Why doesn't Eric see that? Why doesn't he give a damn? I shouldn't have even called this asswipe in the first place. I knew this would be a bad idea.

"I guess this is why Jolene chose Kevin." Eric's quip is so quick, but I catch it. Oh God, I fucking catch it. He's right. "You and Sean really do have a lot in common, don't you?"

My mouth drops and I want to fuckin' tell him off, but I'm speechless. I am a mess, and I know that. Really, I don't need him to tell me that. Joli didn't want to be with me because I'm unstable and I'm just a ticking time bomb. Kid's not too well off either, but I'd say he's in better shape than me. I mean, yeah, he's suspended right now, but that's not because of him. I'm the one that took him back down that dangerous road.

"Scott?" Eric snaps me back to reality. "Are you there?"

"You're right." I mutter as I close my eyes. "You're right about all of that. Kev's a lot more put together than I'll ever be. I don't deserve someone like her."

"It won't be long until you and Jolene break up on television!" Eric's cheerful tone returns, as if nothing had even happened. My eyes quickly open back up, and I just find myself staring at my wall in absolute shock. He just wanted to break me, didn't he? That's all he fuckin' wanted. "I just thought that you would like to know that. We've made the executive decision that Jolene will be joining the wolfpac while you remain in the nWo Hollywood."

It's as if a huge fuckin' weight is lifted off of my shoulders, but at the same time, I feel somewhat let down? Even though the whole angle has been a pain in the ass, when we were on camera, it seemed as though everything was okay. Fuck. My emotions are all out of whack.

"Are you sure that will be the end of it?" I ask for clarification. "No more of this stupid bullshit that we've been dealing with for the past few months?"

"Well, I can only guarantee that the romance angle will come to an end." Eric chuckles. "Whether or not the bullshit behind-the-scenes stops is up to you, Kevin, and Jolene. I don't have any control over the way that the three of you interact."

Brother, you've got more control over that than you let on. You know that. I mean, you managed to single-handedly fuck our friendship up and you're acting as if nothing happened.

Or, maybe that all just goes back to me? Maybe it's all my fault?

"I think I'm done talking for now. Thanks for... for whatever." I tell Eric while shaking my swirling head. "I'll see you later."

"All right! I'll see you first thing on Monday, my beloved employee." I just know he's grinning. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Yeah, okay." I mumble. Like hell I will.

"Oh, and Scott?" Eric stops me as I go to end the call.

"What?"

"Don't do anything that would get yourself suspended." I just hang up and don't reply. Oh, fuck this.

Fuck Eric.

Fuck me.

I hold tightly onto my phone for just a moment before flinging it at the wall to my right. The phone shatters and I just drop my head. I don't want to be awake. I don't want to think. I don't want to hurt. The angle is finally coming to end, but at what cost? And who knows when it'll actually finish? Will it be soon, or several months down the road?

After spending a few moments sulking on my bed, I haul my ass up and head to my kitchen. I hear my other house phones ringing, but I fuckin' ignore them. I don't want to talk to anyone, especially not Eric, if that's who it is.

As I reach into my cabinet and pull out a big bottle of Jack, I hear my voicemail machine picking up in the living room. I grab a cup from my dishwasher as I listen to the machine.

"Scott?" Oh, it's Joli. "Scott, if you're home, please, pick up."

I just stare blankly into the living room.

"Brother, call us." Hi, Kev. "Eric said you sounded down, and we wanted to check on you."

"I hate his ass, and I normally wouldn't pay anything he said any attention, but..." Joli trails off. "Just call us, okay?"

They hang up and I fill my cup to the rim with some Jack. I raise my cup towards the living room as a sort of toast to Joli and Kev before I start chugging my drink.

Oh, this is the good shit. The good, strong shit.

Maybe by the time I wake up from whatever booze-induced sleep I end up in, this whole thing will be over? Maybe then, everything will be okay.

Chapter 49: the milford/hall experiment

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I yawn as I take a seat between Kev and Scott at the big table in this room that we're using for our meeting. It's early in the morning, far earlier than I would have liked to haul my ass out of bed. But, I guess it's okay, because this is the big meeting we've all been looking forward to.

Or at least, it's the one that Eric has been going on about for so damn long. I guess that accounts for something.

Seeing as we're the only ones here at this moment, I lean my head over on Kev's shoulder. He places a kiss on the top of my head, and I just snuggle up closer to him. I'm tired and there's no denying that.

Of course, as soon as I'm about to drift off, everyone else starts piling into the room. I wave at Hulk as he passes by, and Steve, and Randy. Dally pokes my cheek as he walks by, and I punch his arm. Man, it's so weird, watching how many people come in here. This meeting is for our main players, and there are just so many of us. WCW is stacked.

Except for you, Bret. Fuck you.

I swear, it's as if Bret can read my mind, because he just kind of looks over at me with this pissed-off look on his face. Then again, I think that's just his normal look.

For this meeting to be held by Eric, he doesn't really make an effort to show up on time. He's the last person to show, but he's carrying all kinds of boxes and shit.

"I'm sorry I'm late, everyone! I had a few more designs I needed to pick up from our merch department. I think that you all are going to be very pleased with what we've got in store." Eric gives us all a stupid grin.

"Let's just get on with this, brother. I know you had your shit to take care of, but I think we've all got busy days ahead of us." Actually, Hulk, we don't have much at all planned. But, like hell I'm going to contradict you, especially when you're calling Eric out!

"Of course!" Eric quickly gives Hulk a little nod as a way to apologize. The way that Hulk can intimidate people like that has always amazed me.

I mean, they don't say he's a fan of that creative control for no reason. If Hulk Hogan wants it done, chances are, it gets done.

"All right, so, as all of you are aware, today, we're discussing the split of the New World Order. Over the next couple of months, we will go from the nWo being one large group to being two smaller groups. Hulk Hogan will lead the classic black and white nWo, which will be called nWo Hollywood, and Kevin Nash will lead the black and red nWo, the nWo wolfpac." Eric begins. We all just sort of sit back and listen.

I mean, Bret especially looks like he wants to question Kev's leadership role, but he remains quiet.

"To begin, Hulk and Kevin are going to start having a much harder time seeing eye-to-eye. At that point, all of you current nWo members are going to begin to figure out exactly where you're going to go when the inevitable split happens. I mean, that's all pre-determined, but you catch my drift." Eric chuckles cheekily. "The full division of the nWo will come once Scott Hall and I turn on Kevin."

I look over at Scott, but he's looking over at Kev. Kev just shrugs at him and Scott nods. It's so nice to see my boys getting along.

"Where does that leave me?" I chime in. Eric points at me with a grin on his ugly mug before continuing.

"That's my next point. As soon as Scott and I turn on Kevin, the Milford/Hall experiment will come to an end." I'm sorry, the what?! "Jolene, you'll break up with Scott on the spot and instantly take Kevin's side. While Kevin will be the main leader of the wolfpac, you'll be ruling alongside of him, like his queen."

So that's how we're playing this, huh? Cool. I think it'll be nice to finally showcase my love for Kev on camera. Most importantly, though, this hell of an angle will be coming to an end, which hopefully means that our friendship can go back to what it once was.

"You're finally going to let us love each other in front of the fans?" I jokingly grin at Eric. "Funny, I distinctly remember you telling us that you wouldn't be able to make as much money off of us."

Do I need to be an ass right now? Probably not. I guess it's just a reflex for me at this point.

"Well, with the lessening success of Milford/Hall, we've all come to the conclusion that it would be good to switch things up a bit. Jolene, with you and Kevin ruling the wolfpac, the crowd will be all over it. I'm absolutely sure of it." Eric smiles brightly. "Really, the two of you are a wonderful couple!"

You know, it's really funny how quickly Eric's opinions can change when it comes to what can make him money. He doesn't care the least bit about how Kev and I are, as long as we're profitable.

"As exciting as all of this is, who else are you wanting to put in this wolfpac?" Naturally, Bret has to get in on the conversation. Even if he wasn't glaring at me like he is right now, I'd know why he's asking that question.

He just doesn't want to get stuck with me and Kev.

"That's an excellent question, Bret!" Stroke his cock a little more there, Eric. "There won't be all that many members of the wolfpac; at least, not at first. It's an elite group, after all!"

Eric's hyping this up big time. As I look at all of the people in the meeting room, I can't help but hope we don't get stuck with some of the lamer people here. Surely, Eric isn't going to fuck me and Kev over too bad.

"Who have you got in mind?" Randy leans back in his seat as he talks. "Big names, right?"

Please don't let it be Bret. Please don't let it be Bret.

"The first members that we have in mind are actually you, Randy," Thank God we've got the Macho Man! "as well as Sting," This is great! Steve, too? "Konnan," I can work with him! "and Lex!"

Oh, come on! Luger?! Not goddamn puffy shirt!

I slump over in my seat as my eyes scan over the four guys that Eric just listed. I'm always happy to work with Randy and Steve, but I'd rather not have to deal with Luger. He just bugs the absolute hell out of me.

Then again, I guess working with Lex for a while is much better than being in a group with Eric and Bret. It's better to go from two dumbasses to just one.

Yeah, I can work with this.

Eric begins to go into a long spiel about how everything is going to playout. Apparently, Randy is going to join up with Kev and I once he realizes that Hulk doesn't care about anyone but himself, and that's all he'll ever care about.

While I don't believe that there could ever be a better duo than Kev and Scott, I do think Kev and Randy can work very well together. Plus, maybe I'll get to hang out with Liz a little more once the wolfpac starts? The thought makes me smile. She's such a sweet woman.

Eric also goes into detail - more so than he probably should, honestly - about the descent of Milford/Hall and The Outsiders. It really pisses me off that he keeps referring to my angle with Scott as some sort of little experiment, like it was just some little project that he wanted to attempt. Then again, I guess he really does get joy out of seeing other people suffer. Piece of shit.

Even though Kev and Scott have had their problems behind the scenes, I can't help but feel like an Outsiders breakup is a little rushed. I mean, I personally would've drawn that out a little longer; there's a shit ton of money to be made in a feud between my boys. I mean, has Eric even seen Kev and Scott wrestle each other?

When the two of them go after one another, it's like magic. As a general rule of thumb, the Kliq boys work best when they're going against one another. That's just how it is. I'd say this rule is especially true in the case of Kev and Scott.

Wow. I'm going to get to experience several matches between the two of them live, aren't I? I always had to miss their WWF matches, but shit, this makes up for it.

Huh. I may have to give Eric just the slightest bit of credit on this wolfpac deal. I can't wait to see Nash vs Hall.

Once the painful meeting finally comes to a close, I stand up from my seat and stretch my arms above my head. When Kev stands up, I can tell by the way he moves that he's all locked up from sitting in one of these shitty chairs for so long. My poor babe. He's been needing a good massage as it is; I might have to hook him up with that later.

I watch as a lot of people go to leave, not paying them any attention. Of course, my big brother comes to see us before he goes.

"So, you looking forward to leading the wolfpac?" Dallas asks, looking from me to Kev. "I think the two of you are going to fuckin' kill it."

"Thanks, Dally." I send him a grin. "I'm honestly really surprised that this is what they want to do with me. Like I said, I'm glad that Eric finally got his head out of his ass and sees what me and my babe can do." I wrap an arm around Kev's waist and lean against him.

"It's about fuckin' time." Kev laughs. "It seems like things might be starting to look up around here from a creative standpoint."

"There are definitely some big changes coming around here, I can tell you that much." Dallas crosses his arms over his chest. He looks around the room as it empties; it's pretty much just Dallas, me, Kev, Scott, Eric, and Hulk left at this point. "I just feel it coming. I don't really know what, but it's something."

"I can agree with you on that, brother." Scott pipes in. I look over at him as he talks. He still looks like he's in a pretty decent mood, which is great! "There's some shit on it's way. I just don't know if it's good or bad."

"We can always hope for the best!" Dallas gives Scott a smile. "Ah, but fuck, who knows? Whatever it is, we'll all just roll with it." Dallas then nudges Scott. "There's nothing this business can throw at any of us that we can't handle."

This is a little pep talk from my big bro; I guess this is his way of just trying to check in on all of us, especially Scott. I mean, I don't blame him. In fact, I'm actually happy he's doing it. There's no one who radiates positivity more than Dallas.

"Oh, this business can throw the worst possible shits at anyone." I shrug. "That's just how it is."

"Definitely." Dallas agrees. "But! I have to scoot out of here. I miss my wife."

I have to smile at that. Dallas and Kim have the best relationship.

"Tell her to call me later!" I say to Dallas as I give him a hug. "Later, brother."

"I'll see you three sometime or another!" Dally waves before scooting on out.

Dally's right, though. Change is coming to WCW; I just hope we're all ready for it!

Chapter 50: unexplainable

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

"All right, brother. I'll talk to you later, okay? Hang in there. You know this is all for the better in the long run." My heart breaks a little as I talk to Kid, but I'm trying to look at the bright side.

"Kev?" I wish I could pat his back and let him know it's all going to be okay, but that's impossible to do over the phone.

"Yeah, man?"

"Let Scott know it's not his fault." Kid sighs. "Please? And tell Joli I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of the fucking shit I've put her through. I'm so sorry."

"I'll tell them. Go ahead and get your help, Sean. I love you, brother."

"I love you too, man. I'll talk to you later."

As I hang my phone up, I let out a huge fuckin' grunt. Goddammit, I hope this all turns out for the better in the end.

"Joli, baby?" I clear my throat as I walk into my living room from the kitchen. "That was Kid."

It takes a few minutes for Joli to show, but that's okay. I take a seat on the couch and wait for her. It sounds like she's talking to someone, but I can't make out any of the conversation. I guess she's made a phone call as soon as she heard I was off the phone.

My girl eventually comes out of my bedroom with a somber look on her pretty little face. She's still wearing her pajamas, but so am I. It's too cold to bother getting out of the house; really, there's too much snow.

"You said you talked to Kid?" I nod. "I just called Scott up, as soon as you got off the phone." Joli looks like she's speechless. "He's, uh... he's suspended for a couple of months, Kev. He didn't really want to get into it, but apparently that's the plan. He said that Eric thinks it's for the best, and the wolfpac will start the night he returns. I'm just, uh..."

Joli walks over to the couch beside of me and just flops down. She looks absolutely heartbroken, and I know that the news from Kid isn't going to help her at all.

I mean, fuck, I feel like shit. I can only hope that Scott's going to get some actual help when he's out, as opposed to just sitting at his house and making himself worse off. Please, Scott, just get some help. Please, brother.

"I wish he'd talked to me more about it." Joli speaks back up. "He just kind of rushed it all out in a couple of minutes and I didn't get a chance to say much to him. I hope he'll be okay."

I wrap an arm around Joli and pull her in closer to my side. She wraps both of her slender little arms around my waist and places her cheek against my stomach.

"Scott's tough, for all his problems. But, he's also stubborn." I sigh as I lean my head back on the couch. I stare up at the ceiling as I talk. "On the bright side, he's aware that he has a problem, and that's usually what it takes to get his head on straight. A suspension did wonders for him back in the WWF, so we can only hope this goes well for him, too."

Joli nods, and for a few moments, we just sit in silence. Goddamn, it feels like everything that could have possibly gone wrong today has, and it's not even noon!

"So, what did Kid have to say?" Joli's question makes me frown. She sits up and looks at me with this pitiful little expression; it looks like she's been on the brink of tears, and I know this is going to push them over.

Before I talk, I turn on the couch so that I can face Joli. Panic comes onto her face. "I really don't know how to sugarcoat this, so I'm just going to get to the point." Joli's eyes widen even more. "Baby, Kid got fired and he's on his way to rehab."

Just as I had predicted, tears begin streaming down my tough babe's cheeks. I pick her up and place her on my lap and she sits there, with my arms wrapped tightly around her and her face against my chest. As Joli sobs onto me, I rest my cheek on her shoulder.

In just one day, our WCW group of four was cut in half. I mean, Scott will be back, sure, but Kid won't be. There's no way Eric's shitty ass will ever allow Kid to work for him again. As long as Scott actually gets help, he'll be fine.

Maybe Kid can get back into the WWF? He'd be a great fit for Shawn and Paul's D-Generation X! I bet that would make him pretty damn happy, too. He'd be the only one of us to be able to say he was a part of both the nWo and DX. That'd be cool.

God, I feel so bad for my brothers. I wish there could've been something, anything, that we could've done for them, but I'm not sure what we could've done differently. Joli and I tried our damnedest to help them - it just wasn't enough. They didn't want the help at the time.

When Joli stops crying, she gets up from my laps and wipes the tears off her cheeks. I can tell by the look on her face that she's got something big going on in her mind, but I'm not quite sure what she's thinking about. Joli walks into the bedroom and grabs her smokes, lighter, and ashtray before taking a seat beside of me on the couch.

"What're you thinking about, girly?" I ask curiously as Joli lights up a cigarette. She looks over at me with a thoughtful, uncertain gaze.

"Give me a minute." I can see the gears moving in her brain, so I just nod and sit back, waiting for her to say or do something.

The more Joli smokes, the more I begin to see this look of understand come onto her face. She's thinking about everything that's happened, undoubtedly, and all of the shit that goes along with it. Joli drops her head and let's out a sigh before putting her cigarette out.

When Joli turns to face me, though, the expression on her face isn't the least bit upset; no, it's more soft and loving. She leans forward and places a long, sweet kiss on my lips. I go to deepen it, but Joli pulls back. I tilt my head to the side as I look at her, wondering what her next move is.

"Kevin," Joli smiles brightly. "I'm ready."

My heart skips a fuckin' beat. "I'm sorry, what?"

There's no way that she means-

"I'm ready for us to be together, officially." I just stare at Joli as she speaks. "I know it probably seems like it's out of the blue, but listen to me just a second. I've put a lot of thought into this and we've both spent a lot of time working on my damaged soul, and... fuck, Kev. It's time."

I don't mean to go silent, but I'm genuinely just so surprised. I mean, I figured we were almost to this point, but I didn't expect her to be ready today.

Hot. Fucking. Damn.

"Joli- Jolene, are you sure about this?" I ask her like a dumbass as I place both of my hands on her cheeks. I'm scanning her face for some little indication that she's doubting this or that she's going to change her mind, but all I see is certainty and hope.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life." Joli tells me with a small, adorable laugh. "There was a long period of time that I never thought I'd be able to move on from the shit that I went through with Thomas, but you know what? Fuck that. Fuck all of that. I'm still messed up; I can't lie and say I'm cured. None of that matters, though. I love you, Kevin Nash, and I want to be with you."

I lean forward and kiss my girl once more, this time with the utmost fuckin' passion and love. Joli smiles into the kiss and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me even closer to her. We end up moving so that I'm propped up over her, and as we separate from our kiss, Joli looks at me again with tears in her eyes.

This time, though, it's not out of sadness. She's fuckin' ecstatic and so am I. I've been thinking about and dreaming of the day that I could officially call her my damn girlfriend, and now that day is here. I feel like a damn teenager again.

"You know that you mean more to me than life itself, right?" I ask Joli with the goofiest damn grin. "I don't care how damn long it took to get us to this point, you know you're stuck with me now, right?" I joke.

Joli laughs and shakes her head. "I thought I was stuck with you before this, too?"

"I mean, you were, but now you're officially burdened by me." I nibble on the base of Joli's neck and she squirms. "Goddamn, we're dating now!" I throw my head back at let out a 'woo' that Ric would be damn proud of. "Jolene Milford is my girlfriend!" I yell to the world.

My little lady erupts into a fit of giggles, and I can't stop myself from laughing along with her. The pure happiness on her face does things to my heart that can't be healthy, but that's okay.

"I love you, oh my God. You're out of your mind." Joli playfully taps my chest.

"Yeah, you tend to have that effect on me." I chuckle. "I mean, I like to think that I'm normally pretty calm and level-headed, but when it comes to you, girl, I'll happily go crazy!"

Even though she shakes her head first, Joli kisses me yet again. I think I'm in some sort of pure state of bliss right now because of Joli.

The way I feel about her is unexplainable. It's like, whenever everything else in this life goes to shit, I know I at least have her, and that's enough to get me through it.

Work is a mess, and even though it looked like everything was about to look up there, who knows at this point? Plus, a lot of other things are going absolutely horribly for our best friends. Kid's fired and in rehab, Scott's suspended, and who knows how Shawn and Paul are doing at this point. The Kliq isn't exactly going through an easy time right now.

Yet, I can't help but smile as I stare down at Jolene. My woman is beautiful, talented, kind-hearted, and more fuckin' stunning than I deserve. Best of all?

I can officially call her mine. Like Joli said, she's still damaged, but fuck it. I don't care. I love her for who she is, regardless of the pain that some little motherfucker put her through. I'll always be here for Joli and I'll help her get through whatever obstacles come in both of our paths.

Before I know it, Joli and I are stripping our clothes off and making the greatest love right on my living room couch. It's ten degrees outside, but we don't care. We keep each other warm.

I love Jolene; I can say that a million times and it'll never be enough. I look down at Joli as I thrust deep into her core, lost in those captivating green eyes of hers. This is the life. This is what I've always wanted.

We finish and I roll into my floor with a tired laugh. I lay on my back and stare up at Joli, who rolls onto her stomach. She smiles softly down at me and reaches a hand down to trace shapes on my bare, sweaty chest.

"I think I need you to pinch me, just to make sure I'm not fuckin' dreaming." I tease. "You're really my girlfriend now, right?"

Joli smirks and pinches the absolute fuck out of my right nipple. I quickly whip my head to look at her and she just laughs.

"Okay, I get it! I'm awake." I rub my chest. "Was that necessary?" I joke.

"You told me to pinch you." Joli winks at me before rolling onto her back again. She grunts tiredly as she does so. "Your fault, not mine."

"You're so mean sometimes." I playfully whine.

"Me? Mean? Never."

"Unless someone deserves it." I object.

"That's different and you know it."

"Oh, I know it."

Ladies and gentlemen, this woman is the woman of my dreams. I can't believe she's finally mine.

Chapter 51: he's a charmer

Third Person POV

- - -

It was a cold November night back in 1991 when Scott and Jolene first met. Jolene had recently been signed by World Championship Wrestling at Diamond Dallas Page's suggestion; she would be working alongside Dallas and his Diamond Studd as one of their Diamond Dolls. Even on Jolene's first night in the business, she carried herself in a confident, flirtatious manner.

Really, what else could you expect from her?

Jolene had arrived at the small arena a couple of hours before the show started, just as Dallas had advised her. The dark-haired woman had been walking around backstage in an attempt to learn the setup when she encountered a man that she had seen only in pictures. She approached the man - whose shoot name she knew was Scott Hall - with a smile on her face.

The moment Scott laid eyes on Jolene, his eyes lit up. It seemed as though he somewhat recognized her as well.

"Hey, so you're our new girl, right?" Scott began with a charming chuckle. "Jolene, uh... Mumford?"

"You're close." Jolene giggled with a flirtatious grin. "It's Milford."

"It's nice to meet you, Jolene." Scott took one quick look over the smaller female's body before sending her a wink and nudging her side with his elbow. "I might just get used to seeing you around."

Their first conversation wasn't anything special, but it was one that neither of them would ever forget. Jolene and Scott had both been utterly infatuated with one another from day one, but their deeper, truer feelings wouldn't blossom until much later on. In fact, after the two had introduced themselves to another, they parted ways for the moment. Jolene went to find Dallas as Scott went to change into his gear.

"Hey, Dally." Jolene greeted as she leaned against the wall beside of the hunched over man, watching as he laced his boots. Upon hearing Jolene's voice, Dallas looked up and sent her a smile.

"Joli? Oh, hey!" Dallas quickly finished tying his boot and then straightened himself up before pulling his dear friend into a hug. "What's up?"

Jolene happily returned the gesture. She always feelt at ease when she was with Dallas. "I met your Diamond Studd."

"Well, he's our Diamond Studd now, sister. You're a part of this group just like we are." Dallas chuckled as he leaned over, picking up his coat and slipping it over his shoulders. "What do you think about him?"

"I can't really say. We didn't have the most extensive conversation." Jolene gave a small laugh before a more devious expression came to her pretty face. "He's awful hot, though."

"Ah, come on, Joli!" Dallas chuckled and shook his head in a disapproving manner. "He's not that hot."

"He's pretty damn hot." Jolene protested with another laugh of her own. "But don't worry, Dally. I literally know nothing about this guy."

"Not yet, anyway." Dallas grinned and patted Jolene's back, amused by his younger, female friend. "Just don't fall for Scott, okay? He's a charmer." Dallas playfully warned. "Remember, we've still got to work together."

Naturally, Jolene wasn't the least bit worried about falling for their ruggedly handsome co-worker. She had been divorced for nearly two years, but another relationship was the last thing that she wanted. Besides, the way Jolene saw it at that point, she would never love again.

Love just didn't seem like it was worth it at that point in Jolene's life.

"Oh shut up. My heart is impenetrable." Jolene puffed her chest out for a moment before rolling her eyes at Dallas. "I mean, I might end fucking him a couple of times if he's up for it, but that'd be the extent of it."

"Good lord, Joli! Good lord." Dallas sighed and shook his head, but he was obviously just joking around with the new Diamond Doll. "What on God's green earth am I going to do with you?"

"I mean, hopefully you'll let me keep walking you to the ring and look hot in front of the crowd." Jolene wrapped her arms around Dallas' side, smiling ever-so-innocently up at him. "And maybe let me get extra close to your Studd every now and then? If he's interested?"

"Go change into your dress, you horny little goofball." Dallas gently nudged Jolene off of his side. The duo exchanged amused expressions. "Kim's got your clothes in the ladies dressing room. She should still be there."

"Sounds great, boss." Jolene winked at Dallas before waving to him and heading off. Dallas watched her leave with a fond smile upon his lips.

-

Sure enough, Jolene found Kimberly in the female dressing room. Dallas' beloved wife had been finishing up her makeup when Jolene walked in with a curious gleam in her green eyes.

"Joli! Hey! I was wondering when you'd show up." Kimberly greeted ecstatically. The brunette quickly finished her mascara before rushing over to the nearby closet and grabbing a dry-clean bag from inside of it. "Here's your dress! I know you're going to look amazing in it."

"Thanks, Kimberly." Jolene gave the other woman a smile before taking the dress from her. Having been a fan of professional wrestling for most of her life, the night really did seem like a dream come true for Jolene. Ever since she had met Dallas and Kimberly, Jolene had felt as though her life finally had a real purpose.

After Jolene had finished changing into her dress, Kimberly pulled her over to the mirror and began to work on her hair and makeup. The two ladies chatted as they got ready, and during that time, Jolene realized that she loved her new job already. WCW was going to be the perfect place for her.

Once Jolene and Kimberly had finished preparing for the show, they exited the dressing room and began making their way down the hallway. It didn't take long for them to come into contact with Dallas and Scott, who were sitting beside of one another in catering. As soon as the men laid eyes on the Diamond Dolls, their mouths dropped.

In that moment, Scott knew that he and Jolene were going to get along very well. He'd been eager to see her in her ring attire, and oh boy, he had not been disappointed. Dallas, who had been mesmerized by his wife, quickly snapped back into reality and closed Scott's mouth for him with a hand under his chin.

"You okay over there, Hall?" Jolene asked playfully as she and Kimberly walked over to the table.

Naturally, Scott played it off smoothly. He winked at Jolene before telling her, "I'm doing a lot better now that you're here, darlin'. That dress looks damn good on you."

"I bet you'd think I look even better without it." The words just flowed off of Jolene's tongue. She and Scott exchanged flirtatious smirks as Dallas shook his head.

"Do you hear this crazy woman? She's already the life of the party." Dallas said jokingly to Kimberly.

"Shut up." Kimberly giggled softly as she nudged Dallas' side. "I think they'd be cute together."

Of course, neither Scott nor Jolene were paying the least bit of attention to anything that the married couple said. They were off in their own world, full of sexual tension and desires that could barely wait until after their match to be fulfilled.

-

The entire ride to Scott's hotel room had been filled with sensual touches in the back seat of their taxi. Scott's fingers teased Jolene's eager entrance over the crotch of her soft pants while Jolene's hand rubbed his hardened cock over his shorts. As they rode to the hotel, Jolene felt Scott up with one hand and raised her cigarette to her mouth with the other.

Clothes began to fly off of the two adults before the door to the hotel room had even fully closed. Scott fumbled as he led Jolene - who was clad merely in her bra and panties - over to his bed. His mind swirled as his lips attached to the base of her neck, trailing a line of kiss down to the valley of her breasts.

Scott unclasped Jolene's bra and dropped it off the side of the bed before moving his lips down to her right breast. As Scott roughly sucked on Jolene's nipple, he looked up into her dark, half-lidded eyes. There was something about the way that Jolene appeared whenever she was being pleasured that just brought a new sort of fire into Scott.

The more that Scott worked up her chest, the wetter Jolene became. She tangled her slender fingers into his long, dark hair as soft moans erupted from her painted lips. Jolene had been with many men since she and her husband had parted ways, but none of them seemed to be half as experienced as Scott. Every move of his just radiated confidence and she found that very alluring.

After Scott had given Jolene's breast ample attention, he pulled back and dropped his boxers to the floor. Scott began to pump his cock as he slowly moved his gaze from Jolene's lust-filled eyes down to her body. He carefully scanned her luscious breasts before moving down to her damp panties. Scott held his cock in one hand while his other moved to Jolene's entrance.

As soon as Scott inserted the first finger into Jolene, she knew that the sex she was about to have was on a completely different level than anything she had ever experienced before. He worked her clit and her sensitive lips in a way that she had never known, and it had her moaning for even more of his touch. Naturally, Scott was happy to oblige.

Eager as he was, Scott nearly jumped right into Jolene without a second thought. However, right as Scott went to remove her panties, the realization that this was a woman he would be working with for a while struck him, and he darted to grab a condom. Jolene merely discarded her panties and waited for Scott as he quickly opened the rubber up and slid it onto his needy cock.

Neither Jolene nor Scott had been prepared for the copious amounts of pleasure that surged through their bodies as they had sex for the first time. The act was hard and fast, but it was absolutely perfect. Jolene's nails clawed down Scott's back while his teeth left several marks on her breasts. Jolene reached her climax first, but Scott followed quickly after her.

Scott pulled out of Jolene and flopped down on the bed beside of her. The two faced one another as they panted and attempted to regain their thoughts. Both Jolene and Scott wanted to go another round, but they knew that in their current shape, they couldn't; no, they'd have to wait a few minutes.

As Jolene and Scott stared at one another, both of their minds began to race. They wanted to talk to one another and develop a bond that would carry over into their workplace, but they didn't know how. Although neither one of them was the least bit shy, there was something about each other that just made it hard for them to open up. No matter how interested they were in one another past their appearance, it seemed as though that was all that they could manage to discuss.

Yes, even the infamous Scott Hall and Jolene Milford could be a bit awkward. Seeing as how they were two overly-sexual beings by nature, you would have expected them to hit it off as friends right from the start.

No, that wasn't the case.

Jolene and Scott wouldn't actually become true friends for a couple of more weeks after their first meeting and sexual encounter; no matter how hard they had tried to talk, it seemed as though they always wound up fucking. However, a bond between the two was destined to form.

Even though Dallas had warned Jolene of Scott's charm, she had been swept up by it right from the start. Little did Dallas know, Jolene could be quite the charmer herself.

Chapter 52: more to you than meets the eye

Third Person POV

- - -

"Why is that, no matter how cold it is, I can always find you outside?" Scott's amused voice pried Jolene's attention away from the city road that she had been staring at. "Are you immune to the cold, or is that just something you're into?"

As Jolene smiled at Scott, she couldn't help but giggle. She motioned for Scott to take a seat beside of her on the frigid bench, but he shook his head; he really didn't feel like freezing his balls off on that cold December night. Instead, he stood beside his friend with his hands in the pocket of his hoodie.

"I'm always outside because there are a lot of places that don't like it when people smoke in them. At this point, I haven't got enough money to pay all sorts of fines for breaking the rules; otherwise, I wouldn't give a shit." Jolene jokingly admitted. "Of course, this hotel does having smoking rooms, but they were filled."

"Nah, I think you're just too cool to be bothered by the weather." Scott flirted with a soft chuckle. "I'll follow you into any weather, though, as long there isn't a literal blizzard out here."

"Why?" Jolene teased after exhaling a large cloud of smoke. "Afraid that the snow would be tougher than you?"

Scott walked behind of Jolene and placed his large, cold hands on her shoulders. He massaged her over her jacket and brought a giggle from her lips.

"You're mean, Jolene." Scott shook his head, but he wore a smile. "Huh. Mean Jolene. You could make that your ring name, if you ever start wrestling."

"As-if." Jolene snickered. She dropped her cigarette to the ground and stomped it out before moving so that she could look at Scott over her shoulder. "Pretty sure that's too close to Mean Gene, and I'm not sure how Okerlund would feel about me stepping in on his territory."

Scott erupted into laughter. "Okay, you're right. We might have to pass on that." He then patted Jolene's shoulder and nodded towards the hotel. "But come on, girly. Let's head back inside, if you're done."

While Jolene stood up and pulled her jacket more tightly over her body, Scott looked up at the starry sky. It was a beautiful night, despite the cold weather. Scott was honestly just glad that there wasn't any snow on the ground.

"Okay, but what do you want to do? Just cuddle and snuggle and find ways to stay warm in the cold?" Jolene asked with a teasing tone in her voice.

"Are you hungry?" Scott questioned. "Because I was thinking about ordering a shit ton of food and just getting wasted in my room tonight. We don't have to be at the arena until late tomorrow, you know."

Naturally, Jolene couldn't turn down such an enticing offer. She smiled up at Scott and then winked at him. "If that's the plan, then what are we waiting around out here for?"

Scott chuckled and wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulder, leading her over to the entrance of the hotel. "I won't make you wait any longer, m'lady. Let's go party."

-

A whiny groan escaped Jolene's lips as she reached over the edge of Scott's bed for another bottle of beer; the drink was just out of her grasp, and the lazy woman did not want to get up to get it. Scott had left her by herself while he ran down to the hotel lobby to meet the pizza delivery man, which left Jolene with two options.

She could either get up and get the bottle herself, or she could wait for Scott to return.  Seeing as Jolene didn't quite feel like getting up, she decided on the latter option. The woman wasn't drunk off of her ass at this point; she just didn't feel like moving.

Thankfully for Jolene, Scott soon returned with their pizza. When the dark-haired male spotted Jolene dangling off of his bed, he sat the pizza down on the desk and approached his friend with an amused expression upon his face.

"Joli?" Scott suppressed a laugh. "Are you already wasted? I wasn't gone that long." He teased.

"No, I'm not drunk." Jolene whined as she looked up at Scott. "But I wish I was. I can't reach my drink."

Scott shifted his gaze from Jolene to the nearby beer bottle for a couple of moments before he erupted into laughter. "Are you kidding me, Joli? It's right there. You'd just have to get up and get it."

"Yeah, but it's too far away." Jolene knew very well that she was being unnecessarily lazy, but at that specific moment, she didn't care. It was getting later at night, and although she wasn't very tired, she didn't want to move more than she had to.

"And what makes you think I'll get it for you?" Scott asked playfully as he picked the bottle up. He cracked the lid off of the beer and took a quick drink before dangling the bottle above Jolene's head. Instantly, Jolene groaned and reached up to try and grab it.

If she put just the slightest bit of effort into leaning up, Jolene could have easily taken the bottle away from Scott and had it all for herself.

"Scott." Jolene eventually sighed in defeat. "Ugh. Fine." The woman reluctantly sat up and snatched the bottle from Scott's grasp. Scott shook his head and walked over to grab the pizza.

"I leave you alone for just a few minutes and you turn into the laziest woman on the planet." Scott playfully rolled his eyes at Jolene as he sat the pizza down on the bed. He then moved the desk chair close to where Jolene sat on his bed, due to the fact that there wouldn't be much room for the both of them to sit on it.

"I did not." Jolene stuck her tongue out at Scott before taking a long, slow drink of her beer. She pulled the bottle away from her lips while a content smile played on her face. "I just got comfortable."

"Whatever you say, Joli." Scott chuckled as he grabbed a slice of pizza. Jolene soon took a piece for herself, and the two sat there for a while, just chatting and enjoying their meal.

-

It didn't take long at all for Jolene and Scott to become completely intoxicated. At Jolene's request, the two of them stumbled back out into the cold so that the woman could smoke yet another cigarette; however, instead of heading out to the front of the hotel like before, they instead ventured to the top of the building.

Was it a good place for Jolene to smoke? No.

Would she have had to pay a large fine, had they been caught? Most certainly.

But, did those thoughts cross either of their minds? Not even for a moment.

Of course, heading to the roof of the hotel was a very dumb decision in their drunken state, but neither one of them was so drunk that they would be in any real danger of stumbling off of the edge. While Jolene and Scott loved to drink and lose their minds, they were not dumb enough to do anything that would get them killed. In another act of safety, Jolene and Scott moved to the middle of the roof so that they could talk.

"Goddamn, it's cold out here!" Scott shivered as he looked down at Jolene. The woman had just lit her cigarette and had the slim stick resting delicately between her fingers. "Joli, we're going to freeze."

"We're not going to freeze." Jolene giggled before taking a quick puff of her cigarette. She leaned so that her back rested against Scott's chest as she spoke, so that the two of them could share their body heat. "We'll be okay."

"I can't tell which one is going to get us into more crazy situations." Scott joked as he wrapped his arms around Jolene's waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "I mean, I've gotten us into some shit, but you're trying to get the weather to off us."

Both Scott and Jolene slurred their words horribly, but their drunken minds understood one another perfectly.

"Oh, shut up." Jolene told Scott jokingly. She placed the tip of her cigarette back into her mouth as she looked up at the dark, starry sky. It was such a beautiful, peaceful sight and she couldn't help but smile at it. "We have a lot of fun together, don't we? I think we're a good match for each other." Jolene then chuckled softly. "I don't really have a lot of friends, you know? So I'm glad I have you."

In her drunken mindset, the young woman found it appropriate to share her gratitude for her friend.

"Ah, you're full of it." Scott teased. "I'm sure you've got tons of friends, Jolene. I'm lucky that I'm the guy that you've chosen to spend all of your time with."

Although there was a playful tone in Scott's voice, he was being quite honest with his words. He strongly believed that Jolene was the life of the party no matter where she went and that she had tons of other options for people to hang out with; he never would have guessed that the only other two people that Jolene considered friends at that point were Dallas and Kimberly.

"You're too kind to me." Jolene told Scott with a small smile. "I'm not lying, babe. I know we don't know each other all that well, and fuck, we haven't spent all that much time together, but I feel like there's something really special going on with us, you know?" Jolene took a long drag on her cigarette before turning around in Scott's arms and looking up at him. "Like we're meant to be friends for-fuckin'-ever."

"There's more to you than meets the eye, Milford." A soft chuckle erupted from Scott's chest as he playfully ruffled Jolene's hair. "I feel like we're meant to know each other, too."

For a moment, the two merely stood there on the roof, staring at one another and illuminated by the stars and the street lights. Jolene finished her cigarette while Scott's swirling mind came up with a risky question.

"Jolene?" Scott spoke as the woman briefly pulled away from his hold and flicked her cigarette off the roof. She briefly prayed that she didn't catch anything on fire from her careless action. "Can I ask you something? It's fuckin' crazy, but, it's on my mind and I feel like I've got to say it."

The woman shrugged and gave Scott an adorable, drunken smile that absolutely melted his heart. "Go ahead. Say whatever comes into that kooky little head of yours."

Her words gave Scott confidence, so he pulled her back in. One of his hands held onto one of hers, while the other hand brushed her hair out of her face. As snow began to fall from the sky, Scott cracked a smile and asked Jolene, "Why don't we go out on a date?"

Although she didn't sell it, Jolene slightly panicked at the thought of being in another relationship. Her ex-husband lingered briefly in her mind, but she quickly pushed away all thoughts of him, so that she could maintain her goofy outward appearance. Jolene took her free hand and playfully patted Scott's cheek.

"You're right, that is crazy." Jolene giggled. Scott raised an eyebrow in confusion, so she began to elaborate. "Scott, baby, you're great, don't get me wrong, but I'm really not interested in anything serious right now. This deal we've got right now is absolutely perfect to me." She grinned before leaning up and pecking his lips. "We're friends that fuck each other without having to worry about anything else. I like it!"

Scott remained quiet for a moment, and Jolene could see the logic of it all making sense in his mind. He finally nodded and smiled back at her.

"You know, you're right. What we've got is perfect; there's no need to try and fuck with that." Scott concluded. He then looked up at the white particles falling from the sky and laughed. "Shit! When did this start?!"

"Uh, I'm really not sure." Jolene muttered in reply. She looked around the roof, trying to gauge when the snow had begun to fall. "We need to go back inside."

"Shit yeah, we do."

And so, Jolene and Scott stumbled back into the hotel and out of the cold. They returned to Scott's hotel room, where they continued to drink, chat, and inevitably fuck until they fell asleep. The two never could have anticipated how much drama and heartache relating to their relationship status would come in the following years.

Chapter 53: vinnie fuckin' vegas

Third Person POV

- - -

The day that Jolene and Kevin met was a clear and windy one in early January 1992. Kevin had just received a gimmick switch and would be working alongside Scott, Jolene, Dallas, and Scott Levy in the Diamond Mine.

Kevin knocked on the door of Scott's room and after a couple of moments, Scott let him in. A smirk played on Scott's lips as he looked up at his tall friend.

"So, I think it's time for you to meet my favorite little lady in the company." Scott began. "I swear, you're going to be blown away by her. Joli's the fuckin' best."

Now, Kevin had to admit, the mysterious woman that he had heard so much about definitely intrigued him. The Diamond Mine angle would be Kevin's first one in a while, as he had just returned from injury. When Scott and Dallas hit him up and asked him to work with them, Levy, Kimberly, and another hot chick, Kevin couldn't say 'no.'

"I'm curious about this girl, I can't lie about that." Kevin chuckled. He slipped his hands down into the pockets of his jeans as he looked over at Scott. "You've really hyped her up. I hope she likes me." Kevin joked.

"I'm sure she will." Scott nudged Kevin with his elbow. "Just don't embarrass yourself." Scott teased with a wink.

"Oh shut up." Kevin laughed, shoving Scott's shoulder. The smaller male just grinned and walked over to simple door that connected his hotel room and Jolene's.

"Hey Joli, you got a second?" Scott's voice had taken Jolene's attention away from the skirt that she had been trying to fix upon her waist. After releasing a frustrated sigh at her skirt, Jolene turned her head to face the door.

"Yeah, I'm free, Scott. I just need some help fixing my skirt."

"You tryin' to get it on or off?" Jolene didn't need to see Scott to know he had a smirk on his lips.

"On."

"Ah, all right. Can I come on in? I've got someone with me that you'd probably like to meet."

"Come on."

Scott opened the door and walked into Jolene's room, noticing that she had her back to him. After Scott had slapped her ass, Jolene looked at him over her shoulder. It was only then that Jolene noticed a tall, handsome, short-haired male standing behind Scott.

"Help me with my skirt real quick, Scott. Just zip it up and fix the safety pin where you can't see it, okay?" Jolene turned around so that she was facing the male she hadn't seen before while Scott went behind of her and began to fix her skirt. "Who's this?"

"He's one of our new members of the Diamond Mine." Scott grinned as he zipped Jolene's skirt. "His name is Kevin Nash, but you've but probably heard Dally call him Vinnie Vegas."

"Really? You're Vinnie Vegas? Hot damn." Jolene smiled up at Kevin and went to extend a hand to him in greeting, only to jump slightly when Scott accidentally stabbed her ass with the safety pin. "Shit! Scott!"

"Fuck, babe. Sorry." Scott apologized with a nervous laugh, rubbing where he had accidentally poked her before fastening the safety pin in its proper place.

"Anyway," Jolene laughed softly at Scott as he walked back over beside of Kevin. "I'm sure Scott's told you all about me. I'm the undoubtedly infamous Jolene Milford."

Kevin had been quiet up to this point, as he had been gauging what he could about Jolene based on her interactions with Scott. He had indeed heard many things about the dark-haired woman, mainly about how hot she was and how overall fun it was to spend time with her. As far as Kevin could tell, Scott had been completely right. Jolene was extremely attractive and her foul mouth amused him.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Jolene. You're right, he's talked about you quite a lot." Kevin draped an arm around Scott's shoulder, a joking grin upon his lips. "But, you know this guy. He never shuts up." When Scott playfully shoved Kevin's chest, the latter continued speaking. "But yeah, I'm Vinnie fuckin' Vegas. I mean, you might know me as Oz, but I really hope you don't."

Kevin's Oz days were just before Jolene had entered the company, but she couldn't help the slight look of surprise that had come to her face upon hearing of Kevin's former character. She'd seen pictures of Oz and, like most, Jolene had known the gimmick would be a train wreck just by looking at his costume.

"Really? That was you?" When Kevin nodded, Jolene laughed and gently tapped his chest. "No shit? You're actually pretty hot in person."

"Thanks." Kevin's laugh was deep and charming; Jolene found it to be very pleasing. "You know, you're fuckin' hot yourself."

Before Jolene and Kevin had a chance to completely delve into their flirtatious conversation, Scott interjected, asking Jolene, "You got any plans today, babygirl?"

"No, unfortunately." Jolene sighed. She straightened out her skirt before walking over to her nightstand and grabbing her cigarettes and her lighter. She pulled a smoke from the carton and slipped it behind her ear before putting the carton and lighter into her purse. "What're you boys up to?"

"Well, the big man and I were going to go hit up the town." Scott replied smoothly as he pointed over to Kevin with his thumb. "You know, we'd have a lot more fun if your pretty face accompanied us."

With a playful grin upon her lips, Jolene flung her purse over her shoulder and walked over to the two men. She linked one of her arms with one of Kevin's and one with one of Scott's. "I might just have to take you two up on that offer."

-

When the trio returned to the hotel that night, Kevin had to carry Scott out of the taxi. Unfortunately, Scott had partied too hard at the bar and had wound up drifting off into sleep once he got still in the vehicle. Kevin and Jolene chatted as they walked to Scott's room, and once they arrived, Jolene dug Scott's room key out of his pocket.

Kevin carried Scott over to his bed and laid him down as Jolene closed the door to the room. Neither Kevin nor Jolene were extremely drunk, but they were definitely feeling quite tipsy and frisky.

"Oh my God, you fuckin' owe me." Kevin chuckled as he shoved Scott's shoulder. Scott, who merely grunted in verbal response, rolled over in the bed so that his back faced Kevin and Jolene. "Okay, fuck you too, man. Goodnight!"

Jolene smiled and walked over beside of Kevin. Her slender arms wrapped around his waist and her cheek rested on his stomach. She looked up at Kevin and asked, "Isn't he so cute when he's unconscious?"

"He's cute because his mouth is shut." Kevin replied in a comically blunt way before looking down at the woman with a wide smirk on his lips. "What would you like to do now?"

As was the usual with Kevin and Jolene, they both had already decided what they wanted to do. While Jolene gave her flirtatious reply of, "Are you an option?" Kev ran a devious hand down her back.

"You don't waste any time getting right to the point, do you Jolene?" Kevin teased as he began leading Jolene over to the door that connected her room and Scott's. "I like that about you."

"There's no need to beat around the bush." Jolene pointed out. "We both know what we want."

At the beginning of the day, neither Jolene nor Kevin had planned on fucking one another, but as the day had progressed, their urges had grown. Who could blame them, though? Both Jolene and Kevin were extremely attractive individuals and it was natural for them to want to hook up.

Once the door had closed behind of Kevin and Jolene and the light had been turned on, Jolene broke away so that she could take a seat at the edge of her bed. Kevin approached the dark-haired woman with the utmost desire in his eyes, a look that she shared with him.

Jolene pulled her shirt over top of her head while Kevin did the same. The moment Kevin laid eyes on her breast, he was ecstatic. He had just kicked his shoes off when he reached Jolene, who leaned up and wrapped her small arms around Kevin's neck. Kevin's body was so toned and muscular, Jolene couldn't keep her eyes off him.

The two connected their lips in a hot kiss just long enough to bring even more lust into their eager bodies. One of Kevin's hands trailed down Jolene's body; he squeezed her breasts on the way down to her skirt. He slid his hand down her leg and then, finally, under her panties. As their mouths parted ways, Kevin began to roughly shoved a finger into Jolene's core.

It didn't take long at all until she was moaning and begging for more. Kevin watched proudly as Jolene squirmed under his touch; her back arched and her fingers dug into the sheets. When Kevin pulled back, he looked down at his drenched fingers with a smug smirk.

"Where do you keep your condoms at, babe?" Kevin's husky voice was little more than a murmur as he pulled back to remove his pants and his boxers. "I don't have shit on me."

In all honesty, neither of them would have cared in that moment if a condom hadn't been brought into the mix. Later on, Kevin would have been slightly concerned, but really, there was no need for it. However, Jolene would have played into his worry, as she didn't want to admit her reproduction problems at the time.

But, that was neither here nor there. What mattered most was the sex that Jolene and Kevin were about to have.

Jolene fumbled off of the bed and made her way to one of her luggage bags in the corner of her room. She rummaged through her bag at a quick speed before eventually finding one of the little protective squares and flinging it at Kevin. Of course, it didn't land anywhere near him and he had to essentially get it himself. Kevin took a seat on the edge of the bed where Jolene had just been and slid the condom on his hard cock.

"How you want to do this?" Jolene breathed out, her excited eyes flickering between Kevin's member and his face. "You want control, or...?"

Various positions ran through Kevin's mind over the course of a few quick seconds. "Fuck, just get up here. Ride the fuck out of me."

Always being one to please, Jolene crawled overtop of Kevin on the bed and hovered atop his twitching, covered cock. She placed her hands tightly onto Kevin's shoulders as she sunk down, pushing his dick into her eager entrance.

The moment their bodies connected, moans and groans began to fill Jolene's hotel room. Jolene rode Kevin like the expert that she was, showering both of them with uncontrollable pleasure. One of Kevin's hands rested on Jolene's waist while his other hand kept her breast against his needy lips.

It didn't take long for Jolene and Kevin to reach their climaxes once they found the perfect way to hit Jolene's special spot. After a few hard, long thrusts against her core, Jolene collapsed against Kevin. Her soft moans in his ear encouraged Kevin to finish, inevitably blowing his load into the condom. The two rolled over into bed together with smiles upon their tired faces.

As the two laid there in each other's sweaty arms, Kevin couldn't help but feel as though he had found someone that he would be seeing for a long time. He wasn't sure what the extent of his relationship with Jolene would be - honestly, he didn't expect it to be more than friends-with-benefits ever -but he knew that they'd keep in touch.

"Hey, Nash?" Jolene poked Kevin's chest.

"What is it, babe?" Kevin asked with a raised brow.

"You fuck damn well for a guy that used to be a shitty green wizard." Jolene told Kevin. She wore a beautiful, mischievous smirk.

Kevin playfully held a hand over his heart, acting as though he had been hurt. "I appreciate you putting me over, but fuck, bringing that shit up right now is just cold."

"I thought it was appropriate." Jolene giggled.

Kevin had to admit to himself that Jolene was absolutely adorable. This woman was different than anything he had ever known. "Are you always such an ass?" Kevin joked. "Or, is this just how you treat guys after sex?"

"No." Jolene giggled once again. "I guess you're just lucky."

While Kevin laughed and ruffled Jolene's hair, neither ever could have imagined the future that the two of them would have together. After all, at the time, they were just having another random fuck with their new co-workers.

But, in the long run, Kevin was lucky when it came to Jolene. He was very lucky indeed.

Chapter 54: a quite tough choice

Third Person POV

- - -

Once Kevin, Scott, and Jolene began to hang out with one another, a strong bond of friendship quickly developed between them. Of course, Scott had initially been the link between Kevin and Jolene, but in what felt like no time, the three of them were undeniably close. Whenever the three of them had a free moment of time, they were together. Or, in the off chance that the three of them couldn't get together, you could usually find at least two of them in a bar or somewhere similar raising all sorts of hell.

By the time February 1992 came, Jolene felt as though she had known both Kevin and Scott all of her life. It was entirely true that the woman had grown rather attached to the two men rather quickly, but there had just been something about their charisma and attitudes that had drawn her in from the get-go.

Then again, at that point in time, Jolene wasn't necessarily the most social woman in the world. She had Scott, Kevin, Dallas, and Kimberly in her group of friends; of course, she also enjoyed Levy's company as well. Their relationship was strictly professional, however, as they rarely socialized outside of work.

At this particular moment in time, Jolene, Scott, and Kevin sat outside of a small ice cream parlor around noon in the afternoon. Neither Scott nor Kevin had picked up a cool, delicious treat, but Jolene had acquired a large bowl of chocolatey goodness. The trio sat beneath a little umbrella, enjoying a rather warm day in the winter.

"You know, you're one of the only people I've ever met that would eat ice cream in the damn winter." Scott pointed out as he leaned back in his creaky, plastic chair. "Most people find it redundant."

"I'm more confused by the fact she's got a bowl bigger than her head and she's scarfing the shit down like it's nothing." Kevin jokingly shook his head. "Jolene, you should not look as fuckin' hot as you do when you can eat like this."

Their comments amused Jolene greatly. She shrugged at the two men and scooped up a bit more of her ice cream onto her spoon. "In my defense, it's not really cold today, and this isn't that much. You two are just pansies that couldn't handle this much good shit."

Scott and Kevin exchanged knowing glances for a just a quick moment; by the time Jolene had figured out what they were planning, it was too late. Scott and Kevin took the extra spoons that they had received when Jolene ordered her ice cream (because really, who would've expected her to eat it all on her own?) and each took a bite from the cup.

"What was that?" Scott teased. He licked the corner of his mouth to wipe away a little bit of stray cream, something that Jolene found to be extremely sexy.

"You guys are assholes." Jolene whined as she scooted her cup closer to her on the table. She glared playfully at her friends, who merely laughed.

Although Kevin and Jolene weren't aware of it at the time, this would be one of the last few times that the three of them would be able to hang out as members of WCW for several years. Within the next month, Scott would be signing with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name of Razor Ramon and leaving his pals behind.

As Jolene ate her ice cream, Scott and Kevin watched as others passed by them. Eventually, in an attempt to bring conversation back to the table, Scott turned to Jolene with a raised brow.

"You know, Joli, you need to talk about yourself more. Really." Scott commented. "Like, come on, babe. I don't even know your middle name."

Jolene had just shoved a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, so she had to swallow that before she spoke back up. "In my defense, I don't know either of your middle names. So you can't just throw me under the bus for that." She pointed out, looking from Scott to Kevin.

"You first." Scott sent Jolene a charming grin; really, how could she say 'no' to that?

"Okay, fair enough." Jolene chuckled. "My middle name is Alice."

"Jolene Alice Milford, huh? Cute." Scott winked at Jolene, who just laughed once more. Kevin, on the other hand, was sitting back with an amused look on his handsome face.

"What? No. You're shitting me." Kevin snickered. "Jolene Alice Milford? JAM? That's too good to be true."

This was a rare instance where a blush fanned across Jolene's cheeks. The woman stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest and sent an adorably upset glare Kevin's way.

"Go ahead," Jolene muttered, "laugh it up."

"I just never pegged you as a sandwich girl, you see." Kevin commented comically. "Are you a strawberry jam? Or are you maybe a bit more grape?" Kevin teased.

"Nah, she always smells like peaches, so that's got to be the type of jam she is." Scott chimed in, nudging Kevin with his elbow. "She's our little peach jam."

"Peaches sure are tasty, aren't they?" Kevin winked at Jolene as they continued to tease her.

"You're damn right they are." Scott agreed. "So soft, and sweet, and juicy..."

Jolene had to roll her eyes at her friends, because she knew if she fed into their antics, they'd only get worse. She wasn't upset by their teasing in the least bit; but, if they continued to make such sexual remarks, they'd end up fighting over which one of them got to take care of the 'problem' they would have created.

Thankfully (or perhaps not, depending on what you wished would happen), Jolene managed to advert the topic away from herself after indulging in a few more bites of ice cream. By this point, the woman had eaten over half of her treat; it made her sad, in a way.

"So, what about you two? Your middle names are...?" Jolene looked between Scott and Kevin, waiting for their answers.

It seemed as though as soon as Jolene spoke, the two were jolted back into reality. Their minds had been retrieved from the gutter and they resumed their normal conversation.

"Oliver." Scott replied with a small smile. "SOH isn't as funny, is it?"

"It's better than my KSN." Kevin let out a small, short laugh. "My middle name is Scott, by the way."

"I mean, I may be a little biased, but I think you've got a damn cool name." Scott grinned goofily up at Kevin. Kevin wrapped an arm around Scott's shoulders and pulled him in close, so that he could get him in a playful headlock while he ruffled his hair. "Fuck!" Scott laughed. "Let me go, big guy!"

"Should I?" Kevin asked Jolene thoughtfully. "Or, should I just keep him like this?"

Jolene tapped her spoon softly to her lips as she pretended to think, all the while Scott stared at her with exaggerated, begging eyes. Those that passed by the friends surely thought that they were quite strange and unusual.

"I don't know," Jolene replied teasingly slow, "I once heard a wise man say that Scott looks quite cute when he's unconscious."

"Hey now," Kevin spoke up, trying to stifle his laughter, "I never called him cute. I just said that the only reason you could have found him cute was because he was out."

"Do you really think I'm cute?" Scott piped in, grinning at Jolene. Of course, she was too busy bantering with Kevin to reply.

"That's not how I remember it, Nash." Jolene shook her head. "I remember you saying he looked cute, but only because he was being quiet."

"You sure you're okay over there?" Kevin asked her playfully. "Because I think you're suffering from some severe memory loss."

"No, I think you just don't want to admit that Scott can be pretty adorable." Jolene sighed dramatically.

"Ha! So you do think that!" Scott cheered victoriously as he placed his hands on Kevin's arm, which was still holding him in place. "I knew it."

"Joli, baby, come on." Kevin cleared his throat. "Listen, Scott can be cute, sure, but I'm more handsome, right?"

"Don't lie to him, Joli. I'm not only the cuter one of us, I'm more handsome, right?" Scott grinned before letting out an over-the-top gag when Kevin momentarily tightened his grip around his neck.

At that exact moment, Jolene realized that she had opened a can of worms. She had two ways that she could approach the situation: she could try to deescalate the conversation and assure the men that both of them were insanely hot, or she could stir the proverbial shit and get them even more riled up.

I'm sure that the option she chose is obvious.

"Hmm, which one of you is more handsome?" Jolene resumed eating her ice cream as she looked between Scott and Kevin. "It's a quite tough choice, you know..."

"Really, it's not." Kevin flexed with one arm while still keeping Scott captive. However, Kevin lost his focus as he did so, making it very easy for Scott to slip out. "Fuck!" Kevin hissed as a grin came to his lips. "Get back over here!"

"No!" Scott laughed. "Fuck you. I can show off, too!"

And show off he did. For the next few minutes, both Scott and Kevin attempted every pose and flirtatious technique that they could think of in order to make themselves appear more handsome in Jolene's eyes.

The whole thing was beyond hilarious to Jolene, though there was a bit of irony in the whole scene. At that moment, Scott and Kevin had merely been joking around with one another and Jolene as opposed to actually trying to impress her and win her over; in a few years, though, that wouldn't be the case. Ah, yes, in a few years, Scott and Kevin actually would want to compete for Jolene's affection.

It's funny how time changes things, isn't it?

Of course, Jolene never came to an answer. She finished her ice cream and sat back, just enjoying the show that Scott and Kevin put on. Somewhere along the way, Kevin realized that Jolene was the one messing with them and stopped mid pose.

"Hey. You're just fucking with us, aren't you?" Kevin looked over at Jolene with suspicious, narrowed eyes. Scott stopped in his tracks once Kevin began speaking. "You're not going to give us an answer, are you?"

"Now, what gave you that idea?" Jolene asked innocently. She wore a grin from ear to ear.

"That's not cool, Joli!" Scott whined. "You have to think that one of us is hotter than the other, right?"

Jolene merely shrugged and stood up from her seat. She picked up her empty cup and the plastic spoons that came with it. "Who knows? Maybe I do?" Jolene replied mysteriously. "Or maybe I think you're both super hot and it's easier for me to not make a decision?" Scott and Kevin both watched in an amused state as Jolene walked over to the garbage can and threw away her trash.

Scott had been right earlier when he had said that Jolene didn't talk about herself enough; she cared deeply for the two men at this point, yes, but strictly in a friendly manner. In due time, she would completely open up to the two and tell them everything about her, from her random likes and dislikes to the abuse that had nearly ruined her life.

"You ever feel like we never really know what's going on in that pretty little head of hers?" Scott quietly asked as Jolene walked back to them. "Because I don't."

"Nope." Kevin shook his head. He couldn't stop himself from bursting into a smile. "I swear, this woman drives me crazy." He chuckled. "There's never a dull moment with Joli, is there?"

Scott grinned while crossing his arms over his chest. "Not a single damn one, my man. Not a single damn one."

Chapter 55: something more

Third Person POV

- - -

When the Diamond Mine disbanded, it was only natural that Scott and Kevin would struggle to find their footing in WCW. After all, the characters of The Diamond Studd and Vinnie Vegas wouldn't work on their own; Diamond Dallas Page was the glue that held them together.

Of course, Jolene wasn't necessarily in the best position either. The only break that she had made in her career was being a Diamond Doll, and since that was drawing to end, she wasn't too certain of what the future held for her. Wrestling wasn't necessarily something that Jolene could do, but she hadn't been hired for that, anyway. Jolene was a valet and nothing more. If she couldn't work in The Diamond Mine or with Diamond Dallas Page, she'd either have to find someone else to valet, or she could perhaps try her hand at managing. Or, she could even try to find another position in the company.

By March of 1992, Scott had been able to make a deal with Vincent McMahon's World Wrestling Federation. Although Scott adored both Jolene and Kevin, he would have been foolish to pass up the opportunity that had presented itself and he knew that.

The night that Scott decided to break the news, he brought his two dear friends into his hotel room. Kevin had known by the look on Scott's face that something was up, but Jolene hadn't had the slightest idea what was up.

"... So yeah, I'll be leaving for the WWF in a couple of weeks. I've already got everything worked out, and, uh, it's going to be pretty nice. My new gimmick is damn sweet and I'm excited for it, honestly. I just, uh, wanted to let you guys know."

Scott's words cut Jolene like a knife, but she couldn't say that she was the least bit upset at him. In their business, people came and went from promotions, and with WCW and the WWF being the two most dominate ones, it was only natural that someone as talented as Scott would want to go to the best possible place for him. Nevertheless, it still pained Jolene to know that she, Scott, and Kevin wouldn't be spending most of their time together anymore.

It was fair to say that, at least to some degree, Jolene had become a bit dependent on both Scott and Kevin. She knew in her heart that she would never lose contact with Scott, though, no matter where the two of them worked. After all, over the few months that they had known one another, Jolene and Scott had grown ridiculously close and spent a large amount of time together.

At the end of the day, there was nothing that could tear them apart, especially not distance.

"You've got to do whatever is best for you, man. I mean, we'll fuckin' miss you, but you can't stay around here for us. That's not fair to you." Kevin, who had been sitting beside of Jolene on the hotel bed, stood up and walked over to Scott. Kevin gave Scott a light-hearted slap on the back and a proud smile. "Go out there and kick all of their asses, all right? Go be the huge fuckin' star we know you can be."

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I really do." Scott sent his most treasured friend a genuine smile before walking over to Jolene and standing in front of her, his arms stretched out. "I know you're upset, Joli, but I hope you understand. Bring it in."

Jolene, with a pained (yet playful) smirk on her lips, lightly tapped Scott's chest. "Why would I miss your goofy ass? I'm glad you're leaving!"

Scott and Jolene stared at one another for a moment and it was obvious that Jolene had only been joking. Scott knew that Jolene didn't want him to leave, but he also knew that she understood his reasoning. There wasn't anything left in WCW for him to do at that time.

Truthfully, she just hoped that there was a place for her there. Jolene knew that there was no possible way that she would work well anywhere aside from WCW. It was all she had.

"I'll miss you, Scott. I really will." Jolene muttered as she wrapped her arms around Scott's lean frame and pulled him closer to where she sat on the bed, resting her cheek against his side. "I don't blame you for leaving, babe. I know it's what you have to do. Make us proud, okay?"

"Joli..." Scott muttered her name as he stared down at her. The dark-haired male didn't hesitate to hunch down, so that he and Jolene were on the same height level. The moment Scott's arms wrapped around Jolene, she nuzzled her face into the nape of his neck.

For a few moments, Scott and Jolene stood in a warm, emotional embrace. Kevin stood back and watched the two with sad, half-lidded eyes; he wouldn't show it, but Kevin was quite sad to see Scott go. He buried his hands in his pockets and released a silent sigh.

When Scott finally pulled back from the hug, a pout came to Jolene's lips. A part of her felt as though when the hug ended, she'd be letting go of him for good; that was exaggerated, sure, but she was going to miss her pal.

"All right, enough of this sad shit." The laugh that erupted from Scott's throat was dry. "Let's party! I'm going to miss getting drunk every night with you fuckers. Might as well have one last hurrah, right?"

Kevin didn't waste any time in walking over to the corner of Scott's room and grabbing the three six packs that had been sitting there. The taller male snagged three bottles and passed one to both of his friends before popping the lid off of one for himself.

"Yeah, I mean, we've got to live it up before you turn into one of those hotshot McMahon boys." Kevin teased Scott. "Ah, you're going to be livin' large!"

"I mean, I will be having all kinds of gold around my neck." Scott jokingly flicked the collar of his shirt to simulate where his gold chains would soon hang. "Razor Ramon doesn't settle for anything less than the best."

"You say that as if you wouldn't do the same. I've never known Scott Hall to settle for anything, either." Jolene giggled after taking a long drink of her beer. Normally she would've tried to pace herself when drinking, but that night was a special one.

It wasn't necessarily special in a good way, but it was special nonetheless.

"I mean, look at you two. I have the best friends in the world, don't I?" Scott sent a grin to both Kevin and Jolene. While Jolene playfully rolled her eyes, Kevin jokingly shoved Scott's shoulder.

"Just because you're leaving doesn't mean that you've got to kiss our asses." Kevin chuckled. "We already love you, brother. You don't have to put us over to each other."

"What? I'm serious!" Scott frowned. "You two are what made WCW for me. Not being able to hang out with you two all the time is going to fuckin' suck."

At that point, Jolene and Kevin grew quiet for a few moments. Neither one of them could deny that what Scott had just said was true; all of them had grown so accustomed to just being able to visit with one another and shoot shit whenever they wanted that being separated would be a big change for them. Although none of them knew it at the time, this change would actually help their friendship grow stronger. It just made all of the time they actually were able to spend together more special.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure you'll make all sorts of friends over there." Jolene eventually spoke up. "You're the most charismatic one of us. The only guy I know that is more personable is Dally, and, well... You know Dallas. He's got that sweet-yet-annoying big brother vibe going on."

Of course, that line is comical in hindsight. At the time, Jolene and Dallas weren't anywhere near as close as they would come to be in the following years. The Jolene of current times would proudly declare that Dallas was her sweet, albeit annoying, older brother and that even though he could be a bit much, she loved him dearly.

After all, a year after Scott's departure, Kevin would follow him over to the WWF; that would be the real time that Jolene developed an unbreakable bond with Dallas and Kimberly both. But, that is an issue for another chapter.

"I'm sure I'll fit in pretty well." At least, Scott hoped he did. He wasn't all that worried about it though, in all honesty. If he didn't make any friends, he'd just stick to himself until someone he liked came along. "Y'all know anything about the ladies over there?"

Both Kevin and Jolene had to laugh at Scott's question, resulting in a, "What? I'm being serious!" from the soon-to-be WWF employee.

"He's not even left yet, and he's already trying to replace me." Jolene told Kevin in an exaggerated, whining tone. "Can you believe this shit?"

Kevin shook his head, faking disappointment in his friend. He wrapped an arm around Jolene's shoulder and pulled her close. "That's not cool, brother."

"Babe, come on, you know I-" Scott stuttered. He comically bowed down at Jolene's feet and placed his hands on her knees. "Joli, don't get pissed, I really-"

"I guess he's just not interested in an occasional fuck from me from here on out. I guess he'd rather find new ladies to satisfy his needs and just completely push me to the side." Jolene sighed heavily. "I mean, I don't care who either of you fuck, really, but I thought that we had a nice little deal going on."

The friends-with-benefits deal certainly was nice, wasn't it? That is, until everything became incredibly complicated for Scott, Kevin, and Jolene down the line. Or, perhaps, everything was complicated for a while, but it took them a long time to notice?

That's the more likely situation.

"Jolene, listen, there are very few scenarios where I would ever give up the opportunity to fuck you." Scott told the woman with complete honesty. "Trust me on that, babe."

The charming look on Scott's face as he spoke sent a chill throughout Jolene, something that she had to play off; however, Scott wasn't stupid, and he could tell by the subtle way Jolene squeezed her legs together that he'd gotten to her.

"Goddammit, I'm going to miss you." Jolene muttered, a small, bitter-sweet smile on her lips. She placed a hand on one of Scott's cheeks and ran her thumb across his stubble.

"You know I couldn't replace you in any shape or form, even if I tried for a million years, right?" Scott said softly as he broke into a grin. "You're a special kind of lady. There's no one like you in this world, I guarantee it. There's no other chick I'd rather have as my best friend."

Once more, Kevin watched with an aching heart as his two closest friends tried to come to terms with their approaching separation. For a brief second, Kevin wondered if there was possibly something more blossoming between Scott and Jolene, something that could have brought their relationship to new levels if Scott were to stay. The thought disappeared from Kevin's mind almost as soon as it arrived, due to Jolene speaking to him.

"Kev?" Jolene cleared her throat. "Would you care to go get me some more smokes?"

The reason she had asked was clear as day to both Kevin and Scott, but Scott wasn't about to say anything. However, Kevin wasn't as shy.

"You just want me to leave so that you two can fuck." Kevin chuckled, calling Jolene out. "Joli, you can just tell me to fuck off for an hour or so if that's what you want to do."

"Well..." Jolene grinned. "I do need smokes. But, if you wanted to give us a little bit of time, I wouldn't complain."

Kevin shook his head and rolled his eyes, but a small smile did make its way to his face. "You have an hour. Just one. Make it fast."

"Thanks, big guy." Scott sent Kevin a grateful grin.

"Consider the next hour my going away present to you." Kevin snickered. "Joli just has to put in all the work."

"Fuck off, Kev." Jolene giggled before giving the man a more serious expression. "Seriously though, thank you."

Kevin sent the two a look that said, 'Don't mention it,' before heading out the door. As soon Scott and Jolene heard the click of the lock, they were all over one another.

Although their futures were uncertain, there was one thing that Scott, Kevin, and Jolene all knew for a fact; they would always have each other.

Chapter 56: the razor's edge

Third Person POV

- - -

After Scott had left World Champion Wrestling behind, Jolene and Kevin grew considerably closer. For this particular chapter, we're going back to August of 1992, just a few months after Scott had signed with the World Wrestling Federation. He had been working house shows and dark matches for the company, but until this night, he had not made his televised debut.

As far as Jolene and Kevin's positions in WCW at this time, Jolene was admittedly at a better place than Kevin. Kevin had been continuing to work with Dallas, keeping the Vinnie Vegas character alive for just a tad bit longer. Of course, it was pretty much as big of a train wreck as it could possibly be, and Kevin knew very well that his days in WCW were numbered.

Honestly, though, Kevin was okay with that. To Kevin, WCW had become a huge, heaping pile of shit and he was convinced that they had absolutely no idea how to book him. On top of that, the money that he was making in the company just wasn't worth all of the shit that he had to endure. His character was a joke; on the other hand, though, Dallas looked like a million bucks.

Kevin had dreams of joining the WWF, sure,  but he wasn't certain if that would ever happen. And, if it did, what if the WWF turned out to be just as shitty as WCW? It was a confusing time for Kevin, without a doubt.

Meanwhile, Jolene had been taken away from Kevin and Dallas and tossed into the world on her own. It had been decided soon after the Diamond Mine disbanded that Kimberly would be the only woman to accompany Dallas to the ring from then on, and Jolene hadn't even considered fighting that for a moment. If she had, it could possibly have ended badly for Kimberly, and Jolene would much rather be unemployed that get Kimberly in any hot water.

After all, Jolene wouldn't have even been signed by WCW in the first place, were it not for Kimberly and Dallas. One of Jolene's strongest traits had always been her loyalty. There aren't many people in this world that Jolene has ever deeply cared for, but for those people, she'd give up just about anything.

Jolene began working as an announcer for WCW house shows, and she had a strong feeling that the company was trying to prepare her for their televised shows. Ever since she had first accompanied Dallas and Scott to the ring, there had been a considerable portion of the crowd that had taken an interest in her. There was just something about Jolene and the charm she brought to the product that made people like her.

Now, those in charge of WCW weren't always the brightest, but they weren't going to turn a blind-eye to Jolene's blossoming popularity. Of course, no one was certain what levels of success she could reach, but as WCW would come to learn, Jolene Milford was a damn badass on the mic.

There had been a sinking feeling in Jolene's gut since a few days after Scott left that Kevin would soon be joining him, but really, she just wanted the best for her boys. There was a part of Jolene that feared being completely alone, but every time that irrational thought process crossed her mind, a cheerful mental image of Dallas and Kimberly pushed it away.

The dark-haired woman would miss Kevin when he inevitably left, but she would still have Dallas and Kimberly to hang out with.

However, on this night, Kevin and Jolene sat in their hotel bed with excited grins on their lips. This was one of the few nights that the two shared a hotel room during Kevin's first run with WCW; normally, the two would just get rooms as close to one another as possible and go their separate ways at the end of the night.

Every time one of them thinks back on it, they have to laugh, considering they never even batted an eye at the thought of permanently rooming together once Kevin returned. Though, that mainly stemmed from Jolene wanting to spend as much time with Scott and Kevin both as possible.

"Fuck, come on, do we really need another commercial break?" Jolene whined, slumping her shoulders down against the headboard. "Get back to the show!"

Kevin couldn't help but chuckle at Jolene's childish behavior. At the same time, he completely understood her frustrations. The only reason that they were watching WWF's Superstars program was to see their friend, and on top of that, they were incredibly excited!

Over the past few months, Kevin and Jolene had watched every Razor Ramon vignette as they had premiered. As far as his career went, it seemed as though Scott was happier than he had ever been, and that made both Jolene and Kevin ecstatic. Kevin hadn't known how to feel about the Razor character at first, but Jolene had been hooked from the get-go.

What could she say? Razor's accent captivated Jolene.

"They'll be back in a minute, babe. If you slide off the bed, you could hit your head and knock yourself out. And, if you're unconscious, you'll miss his debut." Kevin smirked mischievously at Jolene, who was gloomily placing a cigarette into her mouth. "The same logic applies if you're dicking around and accidentally catch the room on fire while smoking, because you're trying to pout."

Jolene playfully glared at Kevin for just a moment before releasing a dramatic sigh. She then giggled and shot back up, resuming her normal position and lighting her cigarette as usual. The woman shook her head as she looked over at Kevin.

"Where would I be, without your smartass to call me on my shit?" Jolene asked in a lighthearted manner.

"Oh, I don't know," Kevin faked a thoughtful tone, "a hospital, maybe? Or a morgue?"

"I'm forever in your debt, kind sir." Jolene placed a joking kiss on Kevin's cheek before returning her gaze to the television.

Jolene had just take a large drag on her cigarette when Superstars returned from its commercial break. She choked on her smoke as the familiar theme music from Razor Ramon's vignettes blasted from the television's speakers.

Pride surged through Kevin as a small smile crept its way onto his lips. The crowd was losing their shit for Scott, even though they weren't completely sure of who he was. Yeah, they had seen his vignettes, but they hadn't seen him wrestle yet! This was the match that could make or break Scott's WWF career, and Kevin knew that he'd make a star out of himself.

When Scott posed in the ring, Jolene felt her heart skip a beat. The happiness that she felt for her friend was so pure that it could've made anyone smile. When Scott went to pass his golden chains to the attendant at ringside, Jolene found herself giggling.

"Something happens to this," Scott nodded to his golden chains, which he held carefully in his hands, "something gonna happen to you."

As soon as Scott flicked his toothpick at the poor attendant, Jolene popped. The woman was completely marking out, but really, could you blame her? One of her favorite people in the world was finally getting his chance to show the world what he was made of.

The match wasn't a long one, but the crowd watched it intently. Jolene had to put her cigarette out because she genuinely feared that she would focus too much on the match and end up actually catching the bed on fire; she really didn't want to be arrested for arson.

Or, you know, die.

To end the match, Scott raised the jobber - whose name both Kevin and Jolene forget almost immediately - up into the air to hit the move that they had known as The Diamond Death Drop. It was then that commentary referred to the move by the name that Jolene believed fit it a lot better.

"The Razor's Edge?" Jolene beamed. "Fuck! That's so cool!"

"It's pretty nice." Kevin had to agree. "This Razor gimmick is going to be big, I fuckin' guarantee it. Scott's killing it out there."

The match drew to a close and as the camera cut away from Scott, Jolene once more slumped back against the headboard. She was smiling like a fool, but the woman was filled with excitement!

Jolene had just picked up her cigarette whenever the phone in their hotel room began to ring. She quickly leaned over Kevin, so that she could answer the phone before him.

"Hey!" Jolene greeted ecstatically. Half of Kevin's attention went to trying to hear the voice on the other end of the phone, but the other half went to Jolene's breasts, which were currently hovering ever-so-slightly above his groin.

"What'd you guys think?" Scott asked happily. "I was pretty damn awesome, huh?"

"I hate to feed into your ego, but I was popping the entire time." Jolene admitted. "Have I ever told you how damn talented you are, babe? Because shit, you're good."

"You're too kind to me." Scott chuckled from the other end of the phone. Jolene wore a large grin, knowing that Scott was probably doing the same.

"Probably." Jolene playfully giggled. She went to say something else to Scott, but when something poked into her chest, Jolene looked down.

She then looked to Kevin, who swiftly turned his gaze to the nearby wall.

"Joli?" Scott piped up from the other line. "You've gone-"

"Kev, babe, come on, really?" Jolene shook her head. "We are trying to have a nice conversation!"

"Well," Kevin protested, "It's not my fault that you've got your damn tits right above my dick!"

"Yeah, but-"

"Please don't fuck while I'm on the phone." Scott fake-gagged. "I can go, if you guys have other shit to take care of."

"No." Jolene replied as she glared at Kevin. "We're good."

"Joli?" Kevin muttered, clearing his throat.

"Yeah?"

"Can you please move?"

Jolene paused for a moment before grabbing the receiver for the phone and pulling it with her. She sat the box in her lap while she held the phone between her and Kevin's heads.

"Okay, were good." Jolene told Scott. "My bad." She winked at Kevin, making him roll his eyes.

The woman knew exactly what she was doing, and what kind of effect she had on him.

"I mean, I can't really say I blame Kev. If you had your tits near my-"

"Anyway, I'm so proud of you!" Jolene cut Scott off, a grin on her lips. "When's your next match?"

For the next half hour, Scott stayed on the phone with Kevin and Jolene. They talked a lot about Scott's television debut, and Kevin made sure that he was the first to call it; Razor Ramon would be a huge hit.

At that point, Scott hoped for the best, but he wasn't entirely sure if the character would be as successful as Kevin had anticipated. In reality, none of them could have ever properly guessed how big Razor would be. Over the next few years, Razor's popularity would shock all three of them, as well as the world.

When the phone call ended, Kevin moved the phone back to the nightstand beside of him. He turned to Jolene with a thoughtful expression upon his handsome face.

"Looks like the WWF is going to be a good place for him, huh?" Kevin asked, trying hide the thoughts that raced in his mind.

After their conversation with Scott, Kevin had almost completely decided that he wanted to go to the WWF, though the transfer was easier said than done. He would have a long journey ahead of him if he really wanted to change companies.

"It is. McMahon's company is full of opportunities." Jolene agreed.

Though she hadn't admitted it to herself at that point, Jolene knew that Kevin was on his way out. Their conversation with Scott had confirmed her fears, but again, I must stress that Jolene merely wanted her best friends to be successful, even if it meant they had to part ways for a while.

After all, there was just something about Scott, Kevin, and Jolene that would always bring them back together.

Chapter 57: you, too?

Third Person POV

- - -

When Kevin had told Jolene that they needed to talk one faithful morning in 1993, she had known what he was going to say. Kevin had become a bit distant over the past couple of weeks, and although the two had spent a lot of time together recently, it felt as though Kevin had been hiding something from her. As they sat across from one another at one of Jolene's favorite little diners, the woman couldn't help the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

The two had made small talk as they ordered their drinks, but once their food orders had been taken, silence fell over the two friends. Kevin knew that what he had to say would hurt Jolene, especially considering how close they had grown since Scott's departure. Unfortunately, this was a conversation that they had to have.

"Joli, I hate to tell you this. I really, really do." The moment Kevin began talking, a pained smile came to Jolene's lips. She wasn't ready for this conversation; she never would be.

"I think I have a good idea of what it is you're going to say." The sad tone in Jolene's voice made Kevin's heart ache. "But it's okay. Let me down easy, babe."

Kevin took a sip of the water he had been drinking before placing one of his hands on Jolene's. The warm contact that should have brought comfort to the woman only made the conversation harder on her. As Kevin gently stroked the back of Jolene's palm with his thumb, he began to speak.

"The WWF sent me an offer I can't refuse. I'm going to be working as the big body guard for Shawn Michaels. It's a rough schedule, but it's a really good deal." Kevin seemed to be a bit torn, something Jolene noted.

"You too, huh? The WWF just love to take away my friends, doesn't it?" Although Kevin knew that Jolene was joking, he didn't miss the slight sadness that she let slip into her voice once more. "I'm kidding, though. I'm really happy for you! You'll be back with Scott. His Razor Ramon character is really taking off now; maybe you guys will get to work together? You know I'll be watching the shit out of that. I'm not going to miss a chance to see my favorite people in this industry steal the damn show."

The amount of pride that Jolene had in both he and Scott made Kevin's heart leap in joy. The dark-haired woman most certainly didn't want him to leave, but she understood that he had to. No matter what happened, Jolene always had their backs.

"Have I ever told you how fuckin' amazing you are? Because you're seriously the absolute best." Kevin's words brought a grin to Jolene's lips. "Leaving you is going to suck."

"It won't be that bad. We can still call each other whenever we get the chance and if by some stroke of luck we're able to really hang out sometime, we will." With the busy WWF schedule, it wouldn't be easy for them to see each other, but Jolene was optimistic. "Besides, who knows? Maybe I'll end up in the WWF some day. I mean I doubt it, but anything is possible, right?"

Jolene had to laugh at her own statement, feeling that it would be impossible for her to ever move to the WWF. It wasn't that she didn't have an interest in working there, it was just that she felt she wouldn't have anything to do. Besides, her ring announcer career had begun to take off. In just a couple of weeks, she would begin announcing matches on WCW's televised programs.

"I mean, fuck, I could wind up coming back to WCW." Kevin pointed out. "For that to happen, they'd have to give me a damn good gimmick, though. No more of this Master Blaster, Oz, Vinnie Vegas shit."

Kevin's past gimmicks had been quite horrible, hadn't they? It seemed as though WCW didn't have a clue what to do with him. That aggravated Jolene greatly, because she strongly believed that Kevin was one of the best 'big man' workers in the business. He had room for improvement, sure, but so did everyone else!

"You've gotten the shit end of the stick here quite a lot." Jolene muttered in agreement. "Whatever happens, happens, though. I know we'll see each other again." Jolene smiled optimistically.

Yes, unbeknownst to Jolene and Kevin at the time, there was absolutely nothing in the world that could keep the two of them apart. They would have hard times, and they would encounter long periods of time where they were unable to see one another, but they would always find a way to make things work.

Jolene and Kevin would never be pulled apart, regardless of how hard that crazy thing called 'life' tried to fuck them over.

"I don't doubt it. Big holidays especially, I'm sure." Kevin shot Jolene a grin. "Whenever I know I'll have some free time, which I know won't be often, we'll meet up. Or fuck, maybe we'll travel by your neck of the woods every now and then."

Honestly, one of the things that Jolene loved most about having a strong friendship with Kevin was that she didn't have to feel obligated to spend the holidays with her family. Every year, she received a half-assed invitation from her mother - through the mail, nonetheless - and in an attempt to not seem completely pathetic by spending her days her alone, Jolene usually took her up on the offer.

Instead, though, Jolene and Kevin could spend their holidays together. Although Kevin had no qualms with his family, he'd much rather be with Jolene. Scott joined them on every possible occasion, but if he was able to get Cody for the day, he'd obviously pick his son over his friends.

Neither Jolene nor Kevin would have it any other way. Though the two could be pricks, they'd never try to come between their friend and his beloved son.

"My house is always open to you." Jolene winked. "You know, it's a pretty big place. I'd love to have some company in it, whenever you're nearby."

Jolene's house was something that she was especially proud of. In all honesty, the woman didn't spend a lot of money on herself, aside from on booze and cigarettes and all of the other essentials. When she had finally been able to move out of her hometown, she'd had enough money to mortgage her beautiful home.

It wasn't too long after Jolene joined the New World Order that she was able to pay off her mortgage. She was quite proud of herself for that one.

Before Kevin had a chance to reply, one of the chefs at the diner came out with their lunch. Jolene's mouth almost started to drool as she looked at the tasty meal, ready to dig in.

A few minutes passed and Jolene and Kevin ate their food, resuming their usual mindless chatter. However, after Jolene had shoved one of the final bites of her grilled chicken into her mouth, she sent Kevin a smirk.

"So, Shawn Michaels, huh?" She asked with a teasing tone in her voice. Kevin raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out where she was going with this conversation.

"Yeah? What about him?"

"He looks like he's a goofy kid." Jolene snickered.

Kevin had to pause for a moment, racking his brain. "I think he may be older than you." Indeed, Kevin was right. Shawn was born in July of 1965, while Jolene was born in November 1966.

"Who do you think got more chicks? Him or Marty?" Jolene asked quizzically. "And does he get a lot more pussy now that he's on his own? Are you going to be getting more than him? Or will it be the other way around?"0

"Oh my God, Jolene, really?" Kevin had to laugh. "What the fuck kind of questions are those?"

"They're genuine questions!" Jolene defended herself while Kevin shook his head in amusement. "Are you worried that he's going to be pulling in more than you?"

Once more, Kevin paused. There was something about Jolene and the blunt, no-fucks-given way that she spoke that just brought a smile to his face. Goddamn, he would miss seeing her beautiful face almost every day.

"I'm just wondering if you're asking me these questions because you want to fuck Shawn." Kevin finally spoke. His reply brought a look of bewilderment to Jolene's face.

"Shawn Michaels?" Jolene asked for clarification; Kevin nodded, wearing a smug smirk on his lips. "Oh hell no. He's hot, don't get me wrong, but he's but not my type."

Now, Kevin was curious. He rested his elbows on the table and then folded his arms across one another, while leaning in towards Jolene. "And what exactly is your type, Jolene?"

"You." Jolene replied smoothly while sending a sly wink to Kevin. He rolled his eyes, but she thought she'd been clever in her response.

"I mean, obviously I'm your type." Kevin said cockily. "But, I mean aside from me." After a quick second, he added, "And Scott."

Truthfully, Jolene had to think about it for a moment. She'd never really thought about it, but saying that Shawn wasn't her type sounded good in the moment. Later on, Jolene would admit that the only members of the Kliq that she had ever truly been sexually interested in were Scott and Kevin; however, that wasn't to say that she didn't find the other three incredibly handsome.

After all, Jolene adored all five of her Kliq boys with all of her heart. She would always love Kevin, Scott, Sean, Paul, and Shawn.

"I like my guys tall and with a sense of danger and excitement in them. There should always be the right amount of seriousness in someone too, you know? And God, maturity is damn nice. I don't want a bitch that's going to cry after he has me. That's kind of a mood killer, you know?"

Kevin leaned back in his seat as he listened to Jolene, utterly amused. "Uh-huh. Go on."

"I'm also really into tough guys who can keep my ass in line, but aren't going to try and control me. Because I can be a bit wild, but I'm not going to change who I am for someone I fuck." Jolene was spunky character, but that attitude is what really drew Kevin too her.

Jolene continued to ramble on about the different types of traits that she liked in a man, but she never once considered looking for anyone to do anything more than fuck her. However, even at that point, Jolene had fallen for her best friends; she just didn't want to admit it.

"... So really, as you can see, Shawn isn't my type." Jolene concluded before taking a drink. "But, you still didn't answer a big question."

Kevin narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Which one?"

"Who the fuck got laid more: Shawn or Marty?!" Jolene giggled. "I don't think it was Marty."

"I'd say you're probably right." Kevin shrugged indifferently. "I mean, who the fuck knows?"

"Ask Shawn for me. And make sure that he tells the truth." Jolene snickered.

"All right." Kevin chuckled, amused by the woman's curiosity.

Regardless of how silly Jolene and Kevin's conversations could be, the two always had a good time together. Though Jolene was happy for Kevin and the great opportunities that had presented themselves to him, she couldn't help but feel like a hole had been opened up in her heart.

Of their original trio, she was the only one left at WCW. It stung Jolene just a bit.

Thankfully, though, Jolene would soon grow even closer to Dallas and Kimberly. After all, it's impossible for anyone to be too upset when they have Page Falkinburg in their face spouting on about wonderful life is and how things are going to be okay.

Jolene loved her big brother and his wife dearly, but no one could ever replace Scott and Kevin in her heart.

Chapter 58: alone

Third Person POV

- - -

There had always been a strong bond between Jolene and Dallas and Kimberly that was waiting to blossom, ever since the moment the couple first met her. This bond would strengthen greatly from 1993 to 1996, becoming what we know it as in current times. Before we go to a specific day in June of 1993, we'll take a quick look back at the events that led to Jolene Milford joining World Championship Wrestling.

Before she was a Diamond Doll, and after she had escaped from her abusive ex-husband, Thomas, Jolene worked at a large bar in her city of Norfolk as a waitress. It was a job that Jolene enjoyed quite a bit, as she excelled at flirting her way into tips from the customers. Of course, the money that Jolene received from that job would be nothing compared to the cash she would rake in while with the New World Order; but, Jolene's never been in her business for the money.

Besides, she could easily get as much booze as she wanted at any given time. It was perfect.

One night back in September of 1991, Jolene had been continuing on in her job as usual when an attractive couple came waltzing into the bar. Their faces were completely new to Jolene, who had been working at the bar for several months. It always intrigued Jolene when new people came in, so right from the get-go, they had her attention.

The two took a seat not far from where Jolene had been working, so with a grin on her lips, Jolene approached them. From the moment she started a conversation with the couple, she knew that they were something special.

Soon into their talk, Jolene discovered that the male's name was Page and his wife was Kimberly, with their surname being Falkinburg. Page worked in the wrestling business as a manager and the leader of his own groups, such as The Diamond Exchange and The Diamond Mine. Jolene learned that the man, whose ring name was Diamond Dallas Page, had worked with a lot of big name talent in the industry, such as the Fabulous Freebirds.

Kimberly soon chimed into the conversation, telling Jolene about how Dallas and his groups had other members as well. Jolene had been extremely interested at that point, and knew that she would be talking to the two of them for a long time.

So, naturally, after Jolene had grabbed a couple of drinks for Kimberly and Dallas, she took her break. The dark-haired waitress had pulled a chair up to their table and asked Kimberly to elaborate.

It was then that Jolene learned about the Diamond Dolls and their role. Kimberly and Dallas both explained how DDP and his pals would bring out several woman to the ring with them each night, using them to work the crowd and distract their opponents. As soon as Jolene had heard that they were looking for more permanent Dolls, she asked if she could be one.

Dallas was certainly interested, as he had thought that Jolene was quite the cool cat. He truthfully swore that he would do everything he could to get her hired.

Until the bar closed that night, Jolene talked with Dallas and Kimberly. The friendship that had been started in the bar would lead Jolene to great things all around.

Of course, a lot of work had to go into getting Jolene in WCW. She had to travel, formally audition, get signed, and quit her job as a waitress to make it as a Doll, but all of it was worth it in the end.

Jolene will always cite that night as the most important one in her life. After all, without it, her life would be nothing like it is now.

We'll now return to the aforementioned day in June 1993, to the time that Jolene, Dallas, and Kimberly sat in the local gym together. Dallas was taking a breather and sitting with his wife and sister figure at a table in the break room.

"So, Joli, when's Big Kev's debut?" Dallas asked as he cracked open a bottle of water. He looked over at Jolene as he chugged half of the bottle with ease.

"What's today's date?" Jolene turned to Kimberly.

"Let's see... I think it's June 2nd right now." Kimberly replied thoughtfully. "Is that right, babe?"

Dallas paused for a moment as he pulled an imaginary calendar up in his mind. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Okay." Jolene nodded. "Damn, he's debuting on the sixth, so just four more days."

The look of excitement and happiness that came to Jolene's face as she spoke about Kevin brought joy to both Dallas and Kimberly. The couple could both tell that although Jolene missed their friend dearly, she was very proud of him and she was eager for him to finally show up in the World Wrestling Federation. They assumed that Kevin had discussed the storyline he would be starting with Jolene, and they were completely right about that.

Kevin would be debuting at a WWF house show the upcoming Sunday, portraying the Diesel character that he had originally spoken to Jolene about. Diesel was to be not only Shawn's bodyguard, but his best friend as well. Shawn would be facing his former Rockers teammate, Marty Jannetty, for the prestigious Intercontinental Championship, and Diesel was going to interfere and help his buddy win the belt.

Jolene wished more than anything that she could be at the show when Kevin debuted, but she had made him promise to call her both before and afterwards, so she figured that was as good as it could possibly get for her.

"When do you think he'll get thrown into a program with Scott?" Kimberly questioned, trying to dig further into Jolene's mind.

"I don't know, but I'm damn sure excited for it." Jolene smiled brightly. "My boys are money." She then paused for a moment, trying to look at the WWF from a creative standpoint. "I'm not sure how long they plan on keeping Kev and Shawn together, but I'm sure it'll be a while. From what Kev and Scott have both told me, they're all close. I'd say Scott will probably feud with Shawn first, or maybe Shawn and Kev both at the same time."

Of course, Jolene felt as though she was just speaking out of her ass at that point. She had absolutely no idea how Kevin's career in the WWF would go, or what his path would be. Truthfully, she knew a lot of it depended on how well the crowd reacted to him and Shawn, because if they didn't react at all, they were fucked from the start. But, Jolene knew the crowd would love Kevin, just as she unknowingly did.

"That Shawn kid is a damn good worker." Dallas spoke up as he wiped a towel across his face. "I've not seen a lot of his shit, but from what I have seen, he's pretty talented. He and Jannetty were good together, but, based on what I could tell about the kid, I think he'll be a lot better off with Kev." Dallas chuckled in a somewhat joking manner. "With Kev, he'll have someone to keep his ass in line."

"Definitely." Jolene agreed. "God knows he's kept me from doing a lot of stupid shit."

"Hey Joli, did you see the Barbershop segment where the Rockers broke up?" Kimberly asked, thinking of the best Shawn moments that she'd seen.

Jolene had to regretfully shake her head. "I've not seen it yet, but Scott told me that Shawn said everyone backstage at the arena when they filmed it was fuckin' popping. Apparently, they all three killed it on there."

"It's one of the best tag-team break-ups that I've ever seen." Dallas admitted. "I'll even go as far as to say that it might be one of the best ever. Future teams are going to have a hard time following the Rockers."

Listening to Dallas and Kimberly talk about Shawn brought even more excitement to Jolene. She'd not seen a whole lot of his work either, but if Scott, Kevin, Dallas, and Kimberly were all three putting him over, it was a good sign.

Really, though, when it came to Shawn, Jolene was curious if he was as cocky and obnoxious as she had heard that he was. Ah, yes, Jolene had always wanted to pick on Shawn and give him hell, but that's what made their friendship strong.

"What's the plan when we leave here, bro?" Jolene questioned as she reached down to her side, pulling her purse up and onto the table. As she waited for a response from Dallas, she pulled her cigarettes and her lighter out.

"Beats me." Dallas shrugged. He looked over to his wife for support. "You have anything you want to do, babe?"

"There's nothing that I can think of. I mean, I am getting to be a bit hungry, but aside from that, I'm good." Kimberly giggled before turning to Jolene. "What do you want to do?"

"I can think of a few things I'd like to do, but I don't think this guy wants to hear about that." Jolene winked at Kimberly as she pointed towards Dallas with her thumb. Kimberly playfully shook her head while Dallas rolled his eyes, only slightly amused by Jolene's lame joke.

"We could go shopping." Kimberly then suggested. "There's a huge mall about thirty minutes from here." While Jolene believed it sounded like a wonderful idea, Dallas felt differently. As soon as Kimberly had completed her train of thought, Dallas released a short, tart laugh.

"Oh, no! Nope! I know better than to agree to go shopping with you two." Dallas waved a hand dismissively. "Fuck that. You girls would drag me all around that damn mall, making me go into every damn store while you two ignore me and chit-chat amongst yourselves. I'd be there strictly as your personal shopping cart and bank account."

The dramatic way in which Dallas spoke made both of the females burst into laughter. Jolene sent Dallas a mischievous grin before playfully asking, "Would we ever do such a thing?"

"You know damn well you would." Dallas was painfully over-the-top, making it impossible for Jolene and Kimberly to take him seriously. "You girls are crazy enough when it comes to shopping by yourselves. I refuse to take you both out!"

"Ah, come on, Page, please?" Kimberly begged. She put on her best pouty-face as she placed her delicate hands at the top of one of Dallas' sweaty arms. "It'd be fun!"

"No!" Dallas huffed.

"Please?" Kimberly continued to plea.

"No."

"Please?"

"No, Kimberly."

"Page-"

"Oh, it's no use." Jolene sighed. "Killjoy Page strikes again, ruining the two fair maiden's days."

While Kimberly dramatically sunk down into her seat, Dallas sent a glare towards Jolene. The childish bickering between the adults would have made anyone laugh, had anyone else been in the break area at the time. Dallas chugged the remainder of his water before standing up and looking down at Jolene.

"Oh no, sister, I'm not falling for this shit." Dallas shook his head. "I know better." He picked his towel up and draped it over his shoulders while Kimberly sat up. "I'm going back to finish my workout. You girls need to pick out something to do that won't drive me wild, and we'll do that instead."

"But everything drives you wild." Jolene whined. Dallas just rolled his eyes and placed a kiss on the top of Kimberly's head before heading out of the room.

Dallas wasn't upset at his wife or his sister, and they both knew that. As soon as the door closed behind Dallas, Jolene and Kimberly both fell across the table in laughter. Once the two had regained their breath, they headed outside so that Jolene could smoke.

Although Jolene missed Kevin and Scott while they competed in the World Wrestling Federation, she was doing very well by herself in WCW. She hated the fact that she couldn't see her best friends whenever she wanted to, but that was just how life had to be at the time.

Besides, Jolene had Dallas and Kimberly to take care of her. Regardless of what happened in the professional wrestling business, Jolene would never be alone ever again.

Chapter 59: kliq boys

Third-Person POV

- - -

It seemed as though no matter how well things went in the World Wrestling Federation, there was always something that soiled the experience to some degree. In the fall of 1995, neither Scott nor Kevin were particularly happy with their status in the company, and it seemed as though management had no intention of changing that. Both of their contracts would be expiring in the following months, but at this particular point in time, Scott and Kevin had yet to decide if they were going to be leaving the WWF.

If they were both to be completely honest, they loved working in the WWF. The schedule was ball-busting, sure, but they had a blast while they were there! The matches that they got to put on were usually quite good, and even though some of the talent there had egos bigger than their dicks, Scott and Kevin had been able to find their three best friends in the WWF.

First to the group came Shawn Michaels, with his long, blond hair and his womanizing tendencies. Shawn could party with the best of them, and even though he could be quite stubborn and whiny, he could be one of the best damn friends you could ever ask for. (Plus, who doesn't love to make fun of a guy with a shoot last name like Hickenbottom?) Unfortunately, Shawn and Scott shared several destructive tendencies that Kevin tried his hardest to squash.

Next came Sean Waltman, an awkward young lad who just wanted to make some friends in the business. Although they called him 'the Kid,' no one could deny how much Sean brought to their group not only inside of the ring, but out of it as well. Sean was wild soul who fit right in with Scott, Kevin, and Shawn, though he unfortunately fell into the same sort of chaos as Scott and Shawn.

The final addition to their group of troublemakers was the up-and-coming Paul Levesque. Paul had been stuck with the four men as a rib, but it turned out to be something that was great for all of them. Kevin definitely enjoyed having another level-headed companion who could help keep things fun while also keeping everyone out of trouble.

Oh, but damn, did those men cause trouble. Whenever anyone in the locker room or management tried to fuck them over or do something that they didn't like, Scott, Kevin, Shawn, Sean, and Paul, known as the Kliq, found a way to pay that person (or persons) back in some shape or form.

It usually ended in utter humiliation for whoever their target was, and a brief scolding from Vince for the Kliq. They never would learn their lesson.

However, even though the Kliq boys loved traveling together and causing all sorts of mischief for those that crossed them, at the end of the day, the money wasn't good enough for either Scott or Kevin. Scott especially wasn't fond of the chunk of change that he took home after each and every match.

After all, in Vince's company, they weren't promised anything as far as money went. They had a general idea of what they would be making for their work, sure, but that was it. On top of that, neither Scott nor Kevin really believed that they were receiving enough money for the work that they were putting in; hell, they weren't even sure how much they'd be getting!

Although Kevin had no one to support other than himself, Scott had a child to take care of. On top of that, Scott also enjoyed making sure that his ex-wife was financially stable; if she was okay, then Cody would be, too. But, it was hard to help anyone else out when you were uncertain of how your paychecks would turn out.

For this chapter, we'll go to the aftermath of a party with the Kliq. The five men had gotten one big hotel room for the night, and along the way, they had all found women to hook up with. After their busy night, the guys had all fallen asleep beside of the random rats that they had fucked.

Paul and Kevin had taken the beds, while Scott took the couch. Sean was in the floor near the beds, while Shawn and his rat were unconscious in the bathroom.

Around three in the morning, Kevin had wake up to go to the bathroom. He hadn't noticed that Shawn and his girl of the night had been sleeping in there, but with the amount of booze and god-knows-what-else in their systems, they didn't even notice Kevin's presence.

After Kevin had finished in the bathroom, he walked over to the door for the balcony that was connected to their room. It was a little cool out, but he didn't mind. Kevin rested his elbows across the guardrail as he stared at the dark city they resided in.

He didn't want to be awake, but since he was, Kevin decided to take a rare moment to just breathe. It wasn't often that anyone in their company got a chance to just take a step back and enjoy the small things in life, like the beauty of a city at night. Granted, Kevin didn't much care to take the time to do this sort of thing often, but when he actually did it, he enjoyed it.

As Kevin released a content sigh, he heard someone stir from behind of him. The long-haired male glanced ever-so-slightly over his shoulder to see who it was. Much to Kevin's relief, it was Scott, who lazily made his way over to Kevin.

"What're you doing up right now, man?" Scott's voice still had a bit of a slur to it. While he had slept off some of the alcohol in his system, a large amount of it still remained.

"Not much of anything, brother." Kevin replied as he scooted the door closer together, so that they weren't loud enough to wake any of the others up. Frankly, Kevin wasn't concerned about waking Sean, Paul, or Shawn up, because if they could be woken up at that moment, they'd get over it. Kevin really just didn't want to wake any of the ladies up and get them in a fit before they got kicked out.

Scott leaned against the exterior of the hotel and crossed his arms over his chest. He briefly ran a hand over his face before turning to Kevin. "Nice night out, huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty fuckin' sweet." Kevin nodded in agreement, his dark eyes scanning over the city. "Tonight was fun."

"Fuck yeah it was." Scott chuckled. He glanced towards their hotel room before turning his gaze to the city. "Good booze, good friends, good pussy..."

"Not the best I've ever had." Kevin shrugged indifferently. "I wasn't impressed tonight."

"Really?" Scott quietly laughed. "As bad as the chicks we had in - fuck, where was it? - Kansas?"

Kevin shuddered as he recalled the sisters that he and Scott had picked up in the aforementioned state. "Not that bad, but not much better."

"Yikes." Scott clicked his tongue as he leaned his head back against the building. The two went silent for a moment, thinking about all of the women they'd been with in the business. "What do you think Joli's up to?"

Now it was Kevin's turn to laugh. He glanced at Scott over his shoulder and sent him a grin. "At this hour? I'd guess she's either asleep or smoking."

Scott scoffed. "I didn't mean at this exact moment, man. I meant in general." A gleam of sadness came into Scott's eyes as he talked, something that always happened when he mentioned Jolene. "We should try and see her sometime soon. I miss her."

Sure, Kevin and Scott talked to Jolene regularly, but since Kevin had joined the WWF back in 1993, the two had been able to physically meet up with her only a handful of times. And, when they had been able to see one another, it was never for long periods of time. At most, they got to spend the night together.

"We'll call her later today and see what we can work out." Kevin missed Jolene just as much as Scott did, if not more. "But, who the fuck knows when we'll actually be free?"

"Yeah, that's the shitty thing." Scott muttered as he stifled a sigh. He thought for a moment before walking over to Kevin and placing his hands on the guardrail. "Hey, big man?"

"Huh?"

"You think you'll ever end up in WCW again?"

Scott's question took Kevin by surprise, but he didn't really sell it. It would be a lie for Kevin to say he hadn't thought about it, because he had. As much as he had hated his time in WCW from a creative standpoint, Kevin did have to admit that the company seemed more promising than ever. All of the main event WWF talent that had jumped ship and went to WWC had received a large pay increase, and most importantly, the money was guaranteed over at WCW.

Plus, Jolene was there.

"I don't know, man, it's possible." Kevin eventually shrugged. "I don't want to leave here, honestly. I love this place." Kevin then looked up towards the sky as he spoke, staring absentmindedly at the stars. "But, with my contract ending in June and me dropping the title at Survivor Series, I don't know where I'll end up."

"I understand completely, man. This place is great." Scott didn't want to leave anymore than Kevin did. "But, you know, I've got a kid to take care of." Scott momentarily paused. "I've been thinking of talking to Dallas."

The mention of Jolene's big brother made Kevin especially interested. He turned his gaze towards Scott, trying to completely figure out his plan. "You really thinking about heading back there?"

"If Dallas can work me out a good deal, I don't know if I'd be able to turn it down." Scott admitted. "Who knows, though? They could want nothing to do with me."

Kevin scoffed and playfully shoved Scott's shoulder. "Right, because one of the biggest wrestling companies in the world is going to be dumb enough to pass up the opportunity to sign Razor Ramon."

"Hey!" Scott chuckled. "It's possible." Scott then turned serious once more, asking Kevin, "Would you like for me to see what Dallas can get worked out for you?"

Kevin had to pause once again, to weigh his options. He truly did want to stay with the WWF, but what harm could there be in seeing what WCW had to offer?

"Ah, fuck," Kevin replied, "why not? Have him check it out."

Scott grinned and once more looked towards the sky. "Wouldn't it be crazy if we both headed back to WCW, though? We'd be raising all sorts of hell with Joli again." Scott liked the sound of it.

"That'd be pretty cool." Kevin nodded. Images of the three of them reuniting in World Championship Wrestling briefly flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but smile.

As much as both Kevin and Scott would inevitably miss Sean, Shawn, and Paul, being back with Jolene would make it all worth it. Besides, the way they saw it, it was possible that all of them could end up in WCW.

"It would be, wouldn't it?" Scott still hadn't made up his mind, but WCW seemed to be looking better and better by the second.

Inevitably, both Scott and Kevin would decide to return to the company where they first met Jolene. Dallas would work as the middle-man, communicating between Scott and Eric Bischoff.

While they worked out the details, the three men agreed on one thing; Jolene wasn't to know until things were almost completely decided. Ah, and who would be the lucky soul that got to break the news to Jolene?

Of course, it could be no one other than Diamond Dallas Page Falkinburg himself.

Chapter 60: have i got a surprise for you

Third Person POV

- - -

Over the first few months of 1996, Scott came to the realization that there was no way that he would be able to stay in the WWF, no matter how much he wanted to. He tried his damnedest to talk to Vince McMahon about a pay raise or just a guaranteed amount of money for each year, but Vince refused to match the offer that WCW had presented to Scott. Now, Vince knew that he was losing a very key player in his company, so he did anything he could to make things worse on Scott at the time.

For example, over the last couple of months of 1995 and into the first few months of 1996, Razor Ramon and Goldust feuded with one another. The feud was a very controversial one, preying on the homophobia of a large portion of the audience at the time. Scott had to give Dustin Runnels credit for his portrayal of Goldust; the latter had to put up with a lot of shit from the fans for the gimmick, and Dustin was very dedicated to it.

There were a few individuals backstage who weren't too fond of Goldust, either, but there weren't many people who had the nerve to shit talk Dusty Rhodes' son.

Razor and Goldust were set to have a Wrestlemania match to cap off their feud, but just a few weeks beforehand, the angle was scrapped by Vince McMahon. Vince, who knew that Scott was on his way out of the company, decided to replace Razor with Roddy Piper. All mentions of Razor were to be dropped until after Wrestlemania.

The way that Vince saw it, Scott didn't even deserve to be on the card. If he was leaving, why should he be on their biggest show of the year?

Meanwhile, things weren't going necessarily bad for Kevin in the WWF. They weren't really going well, but they weren't bad, either. Kevin felt as though he was just spinning his wheels at the time, and it was obvious that he wasn't as invested in what he was doing in the company as he should have been. There had been damn good offers made to Kevin by WCW, but he had yet to make a decision at the time this chapter takes place.

Although Scott has been kept from Wrestlemania, Kevin had been able to participate in it. After Diesel had lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1995, he had entered into a feud with The Undertaker. Kevin enjoyed working with Mark Calaway, but alas, his heart wasn't in the feud as it should of been.

Diesel and The Undertaker faced off at Wrestlemania, and although it seemed very likely that Diesel would prevail, The Undertaker came out victorious. At the time, The Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak was in its early stages; later on, Kevin would be glad to be apart of it.

While Scott waited out his remaining days in the WWF and Kevin weighed his options, Jolene cemented herself as a crucial part of WCW's televised programming. At the time, she had thought the best days of her career would be as an announcer and interviewer; after all, she had gotten extremely over for her role, even though she had been teasing something of a heel turn since 1996 began.

As Jolene packed her travel bag at home one evening in late April 1996, she couldn't have expected the wonderful news she was about to receive. The dark-haired woman had been folding some blouses and tucking them away in her suitcase when she heard the phone in her kitchen ringing. Once she picked up the phone and heard a familiar, ecstatic greeting on the other end of the line, Jolene couldn't help but smile.

"Good evening, Dally! What're you up to?"

"Ah, you know, just throwing some shit in some bags and enjoying a nice night at home. What're you doing? I hope I didn't interrupt anything too important!"

Jolene couldn't help but chuckle as she grabbed a chair and brought it closer to the phone so that she could sit down and talk.

"Nah, you didn't interrupt anything. I was just doing the same thing you were, actually. I've had a pretty uneventful day."

Dallas chuckled on the other end of the phone before he started to speak again. "Are you sitting down right now?"

The simple question made Jolene's heart race. "Yes? Is something wrong?"

"Nah, nothing is wrong! Oh, but boy, have I got a surprise for you." Dallas' next words were muffled, and Jolene figured that he'd put a hand over the phone. "Kim! I'm telling her!"

"A surprise? I really don't understand what you're talking about." Jolene found herself hanging onto the phone tightly, a bit worried by what Dallas was going to say. She still wasn't completely sure if he had good or bad news, and the way he drug it out made her a bit anxious.

"I've got something really fuckin' cool to tell you, Joli. Just make sure you're not somewhere you can fall and hurt yourself. I know you said that you're sitting down, but prop against a table or something, okay?"

Jolene skeptically held onto the countertop beside of her with one hand while she held the phone in the other. The anticipation of Dallas' news was killing her. "Okay. Just spill it. Please?"

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure? Because you're probably going to scream."

Jolene rolled her eyes. "Dally, please. Just tell me."

"It's a pretty big deal. You're going to be really happy!"

"Okay, so what is it?"

"It's great!"

"I don't doubt it."

"No seriously, you're going to be ecstatic! I just hope you don't have any neighbors, or at least ones that would call the cops for a noise complaint. Then again, I'm sure you've had a party or two there before that-"

"Goddammit Page, just tell me already!"

"... That was fuckin' rude, sis!" Dallas erupted into laughter, and for the first time during their conversation, Jolene could hear Kimberly giggling in the background. She must've come into the room when Dallas had called for her, Jolene concluded.

Jolene had also realized that Dallas had simply been trying to ruffle her feathers by delaying the news, something that he succeeded quite well in doing. After nearly five years of working together, Dallas knew Jolene far too well.

"I'm sorry, bro. Just tell me? Please?" Jolene pleaded before sighing. "Pretty please?"

"You think I've tortured her enough, babe?" Dallas' voice had softened a bit and Jolene figured he had moved the phone away from his ear for just a moment to talk to Kimberly. "You sure? I can go another hour just teasing her like this."

"I don't fuckin' doubt it." Jolene muttered under her breath, unable to keep a smile from her lips. Dallas truly was like the big brother she never had.

"Okay, Joli. First things first; when is the last time you talked to Scott or Kevin?"

Dallas' question made a little light go off in Jolene's head and she instantly slammed her hand on the counter it had been holding. The dark-haired woman didn't want to get her hopes up and believe that her two dearest friends could be returning, but she couldn't help herself!

"I've not talked to either of them in about a month. Since they left, I've usually talked to them at least once every couple of days, but lately I've not heard shit from them. I thought they had been super busy."

Able to sense the excitement in Jolene's voice, Dallas cracked a large grin and nudged Kimberly with his elbow. Jolene was on the edge of her seat.

"Well, they have been. I can't lie on that. But you see, I've been talking to Scott a lot. As you know, Bischoff is really wanting to bring in some big names to take the ratings from the WWF. It just so happens that both Scott and Kevin's contracts are expiring really soon."

Jolene felt her breath hitch in her throat. "How soon, Dally?"

"Scott's contract is up in a couple of weeks and Kevin's is up the week after that."

Although she had always told herself that if the time came for Scott or Kevin to return, she would be calm and level-headed, Jolene was unable to stop tears from forming in her eyes as realization sunk it.

"Are... Are they coming back, Dally?" Jolene's voice was soft; she was trying her hardest to keep her composure.

"Now, nothing has been signed officially, but Scott is definitely returning." Jolene's heart skipped a beat. "Kevin hasn't made his decision yet, so I can't speak for him. It's very possible, but I can't confirm it."

"You're not joking?" Jolene asked in a shaky voice, the brightest of smiles on her lips.

"Not at all, Joli. At least one of your boys is coming home."

Jolene remained quiet for a moment before letting out an absolutely ecstatic scream. Dallas exclaimed a, "Fuck!" as he undoubtedly held the phone away from his ear.

"This is the best fucking thing I've heard in forever! Goddamn this is awesome!" Jolene leapt from her chair and once again released an excited yell. Dallas groaned from the other end of the line.

"I think she's a little excited, babe." Jolene heard Dallas mutter to Kimberly. "You want to talk to her?"

"Hand it to me." Kimberly spoke softly. Jolene wore a bright grin as Dallas passed the phone to his wife. "Joli?"

"I don't even know what to say right now, Kimmy." Jolene admitted before chuckling softly. She sat back down in her chair and took a quick moment to regain her composure. "So, just so we're clear, this isn't a joke, right? Like, you and Dallas aren't just trying to pull a fast one on me? It's not some late April Fools prank?"

Of course, Jolene knew that Dallas would never lie to her about such a thing, especially when he knew how much Scott and Kevin meant to her. Hell, the only two people that knew Jolene better than Dallas did were the above mentioned males!

"If we wanted to prank you, we wouldn't do something that could break your heart." Kimberly replied playfully. Jolene had to smile. "So, are you ready to work with Scott and Kevin again?"

"You bet your sweet little ass I am." Jolene's mind raced as she thought about what things would be like once Scott (and hopefully Kevin) returned. "What's Bitchoff thinking about as far as storylines go for my boys?"

Kimberly couldn't help but laugh at the nonchalant way Jolene spoke about Eric. At this point in time, believe it or not, Jolene only disliked Eric.

Crazy, right?

"If Page knows anything about it, he's not told me." Kimberly told Jolene truthfully. "I think that Scott's return is supposed to be pretty hush-hush, with only a few people knowing it's happening and even less knowing what will actually happen. When Scott shows up on Nitro, it's going to be a big surprise to everyone."

Now, Jolene was even more curious. She couldn't decide if she wanted to (at least attempt to) pester Scott into telling her what the plan was, or just sit back and wait like everyone else!

"Wow. They really are treating him like a star, huh?" Jolene's heart swelled with pride as she spoke. "That's fuckin' perfect."

"They've got big plans for Kev if he signs, too." Kimberly added. "They'll probably rise right to the top of the company."

Once more, Jolene felt happy tears forming in her eyes. She softly shook her head to herself as she looked down at the tile floor of her kitchen. Although none of the conversation with Dallas and Kimberly seemed real, Jolene knew that it.

After four years, Scott was finally rejoining Jolene in WCW. And, to top it all off, Kevin was probably coming with him.

What more could Jolene ever ask for?

Chapter 61: where the big boys play

Third Person POV

- - -

When the fateful day that Scott would return to WCW finally arrived, Jolene could barely contain her excitement. From the moment she arrived at the Nitro arena on May 27, 1996, Jolene had been stuck to Dallas' side, trying to use him to find Scott. However, finding Scott was not as easy as Jolene had hoped.

You see, although Jolene knew what night Scott would be returning, she was as clueless as everyone else as to what time or on which segment he'd show up. Jolene tried her damndest to find out, though; she begged Scott, she begged Dallas, and she had bitched to Eric.

No matter how hard she tried, no one would give her an answer. It was better that way, as it made the moment that Jolene and Scott reunited all the more special.

Jolene had been paying very little attention to the match going on outside of the ring as Scott made his way through the World Championship Wrestling crowd. Seeing as she had to announce most of the following matches, Jolene was seated not too far from the ring. The last thing that she had expected at the time was for Scott to show up during the match.

The plan - and the way that everything played out - was for Scott to hide in plain sight amongst the WCW audience and walk down to the ringside area. From ringside, he would approach Jolene and demand that she hand him a microphone, and she would do just that. Then, Scott would head into the ring and deliver one of the most iconic promos in professional wrestling history.

The crowd was under the impression that Scott was still signed by the WWF, which made his debut even more intriguing. As far as they knew, he wasn't Scott Hall, he was Razor Ramon. Scott played into their confusion and let the audience know that he had come to start a war.

But, it wasn't a war between WCW and the WWF. It was a war between WCW and the New World Order.

Now, the fact that Jolene had no idea that Scott would be arriving when he did definitely helped make her reaction all the believable. Although Jolene had been forced to hide away her excitement, she had played the shocked announcer role perfectly.

As soon as Jolene and Scott had laid eyes on one another, joy had filled both of their hearts. Neither one of them had been able to sell their happiness in front of the crowd, but in the brief time in which they shared a glance, they both knew something great was happening in their lives.

After the segment had ended, Scott had 'left' the arena, only to make his way backstage so that he could sit around and shit talk with some of the other members of the staff and roster. However, at that period of time, there were several people backstage that weren't too fond of Scott and the way that he had come back into their company.

That didn't bother Scott, though, because in most cases, he was making more money than they could ever dream of. If they hated Scott, it was of no concern to him.

Jolene hadn't been able to head backstage until near the end of the show, when Gene came out to announce the main event of the evening. The moment that the dark-haired woman had made it to the gorilla position, her green eyes scanned the area, looking for her dear friend. Naturally, she had spent the remainder of her time on that night's show a bit impatient; she just wanted to head to the back as soon as she possibly could.

When Jolene finally found Scott, he had been walking towards her with his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and a sexy grin upon his lips. Although she tried her hardest to keep her composure in front of their few colleagues that were in the area, as soon as Jolene got close to Scott, she lost it.

At first, neither Scott nor Jolene said a word. They merely wrapped their arms around one another and stood in a tight hug, just taking in the moment and enjoying the fact that they really were back together again. Although Jolene felt as though she very easily could have cried in the moment, she didn't.

Scott was the first to pull back from the hug, mainly because he just wanted to see Jolene's face. He gave Jolene a goofy smirk as he playfully asked her, "Did you really miss me this much, Joli?"

The irony of it all was that Scott had missed Jolene just as much as - if not more than  - she had missed him.

"I can't believe you're actually back." Jolene admitted in a muttered tone as she stared up at her beloved friend. "You made quite the impression out there, you know?"

"Yeah," Scott chuckled, "I think I did a pretty damn good job."

Jolene laughed along and then, for another quick moment, she and Scott fell into silence. As the two stared at one another, anyone who could have passed by would have noticed that both of them were just trying their best to confirm in their own minds that what they were seeing was real.

Scott really had made it back to WCW, and he was back to working alongside the woman that had stolen his heart back in the winter of 1991. Unfortunately for Scott, though, he wouldn't realize his feelings for her until it was too late.

-

The two weeks between Scott and Kevin's return were filled with some of the most fun that Scott and Jolene ever had with one another. Although there was about as much sex as you would expect from the two, that wasn't what made it so special for Scott and Jolene. They may have enjoyed the sex greatly, but the best part of it all was a bit more simple.

Really, Scott and Jolene were just happy to be back together. During Scott's run in the World Wrestling Federation as Razor Ramon, he and Jolene had been able to see each other very times; however, with Scott back in WCW, they were together most days out of the week. It was perfect.

Or rather, it was almost perfect. There was one more crucial part of their WCW squad, someone who Jolene was ecstatic to see.

Kevin.

The night that Kevin was to return, Jolene had once more been completely oblivious as to when it would happen. Seeing as how she would be announcing the latter half of the night's card, Jolene had been backstage with Kimberly when Scott showed up at the announcer's table to antagonize Eric. But, the moment her brown-haired future lover came on the screen, Jolene popped.

In kayfabe, Scott and Kevin were together for an unknown cause; the crowd still assumed that they were in cahoots with the WWF, though that certainly wasn't the case. But, the crowd was still speechless.

Diesel had joined Razor Ramon to take down WCW.

"So this is where the big boys play, huh?" Kevin laughed. "Look at the adjective: play!"

Jolene had to sit back in her seat at that last line, running it over and over in her mind. In no way, shape, or form was play an adjective.

But, naturally, Jolene didn't focus on the botch for more than a couple of seconds. She returned her attention to the beautiful segment that was Kevin's return as quickly as she had been distracted by it.

Although Kimberly had been watching the show, she couldn't help but keep an eye on Jolene and the way she reacted to seeing both of her best friends on WCW programing again in the same segment. Just as anyone would expect, Jolene was wide-eyed and marking out more than she ever had.

Looking back, Jolene would say that Kevin's return to the company was one of her favorite segments in WCW history, but for a very petty reason. Sure, she loved the fact that was when her lover came back to WCW, but, she was also quite fond of the way he and Scott had pushed Eric around. The fear on Eric's face could always get a smile from Jolene.

As soon as Scott and Kevin were finished, Jolene scooted out of the room that she and Kimberly had been in and began the hunt to find her friends. It took a few minutes for Scott and Kevin to sneak past the WCW crowd and get backstage, but from that point, it wasn't hard for them to meet back up with Jolene.

The hug that Jolene and Kevin shared was very similar to the hug that she and Scott had exchanged only a couple of weeks prior. However, Kevin did lift Jolene off of the ground and joyfully spin her around; he stopped only when she began to complain, saying that he would make her dizzy before she had to work.

The moment he and Jolene reconnected backstage was one that, in hindsight, Kevin would site as a time where his feelings for Jolene should have been obvious to him. The immense amount of happiness that he felt at finally being back with Jolene didn't strike any flags in his mind at the time, but any time he thought back to that day, he realized how utterly love-struck he had been.

"The crew is back together once again!" Scott exclaimed as he placed a hand on both Jolene and Kevin's backs. "Isn't this fuckin' awesome?"

"I've missed working with you two goofs." Jolene shook her head softly as she looked between Scott and Kevin. "This is the way it should be."

"The only thing that would make it better would be if Paul, Shawn, and the Kid would head on over here." Kevin grinned as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I don't think it'll be too long before Kid is over here." Scott admitted. "And with the shit they've put Paul in, I wouldn't be surprised if he jumped ship soon, too."

"Wouldn't that be chaotic?" Jolene giggled. "Could you imagine what it would be like if the six of us were in one company at the same time?"

"We'd probably drive management up the walls." Kevin snickered. "I don't think that'd be too hard to do, though."

"Probably not." Jolene agreed. She leaned over so that she could look around and see which of the higher-ups were nearby. An amused smirk came to her lips as she spotted Eric. "Like Bischoff. He's out of his mind already, so it wouldn't be that hard to make him utterly insane."

Keep in mind, this conversation took place not long before the full-on, real-life feud between Jolene and Eric began. They hadn't begun to truly despise one another yet.

"Ah, he'll do whatever we want him to." Scott scoffed. "Eric's a little bitch who will do whatever it takes to keep us all. He'd sign us a check for the damn world if it meant we stayed in WCW."

It's better not to think about how the power would shift between Scott and Eric later on, with Eric manipulating Scott and destroying him mentally. We're here to look back at a joyous occasion!

In the minutes that followed, Jolene, Scott, and Kevin discussed all sorts of scenarios that could have played out if all five members of The Kliq were to join WCW. It might have been several months since Scott, Kevin, and Jolene had all been together in person, but they hadn't missed a beat.

Of course, the Kliq and Jolene could never completely unite in World Championship Wrestling. Paul Levesque and Michael Hickenbottom were painfully loyal to Vincent McMahon and his company, something that would never really change in the following years. Sure, Paul and Shawn would have their problems with Vince, but they would always find a way to work it out.

However, it wouldn't be long until the ever-entertaining Sean Waltman joined back up with Scott, Kevin, and Jolene.

At Bash at the Beach 1996, Hulk Hogan would join Scott and Kevin as the third member of the New World Order. It was a very controversial move, but it proved to be one of the best decisions WCW had ever made. Hogan had considered backing out of the plan, but afterwards, he was glad that he went through with it.

After Hogan, there would be several more people to join the New World Order. Ted DiBiase and Jolene were two of the first additions after Hogan, but Sean came along not too long after them.

Sean had changed to a character known as Syxx, leaving his 1,2,3 Kid character behind. However, to his friends, Sean would always be the Kid.

-

The story of Jolene, Scott, and Kevin is a long one, but it's far from over. In fact, we're just getting started.

Chapter 62: and then he walked in

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

I yawn as I lean my head back against the cold, brick wall of the arena we're filming in for the day. The chilly October air burns my lungs, though I really don't care. It's only around noon, and I'm already done with the day. I'd like to be in bed, but here I am.

Really, I feel quite fine today. I'm doing pretty well mentally for once, and things are going all right for me and Kev and Joli at the moment. I mean, WCW is fuckin' crazy - as always - but it's not really stressful.

Currently, Joli and I are waiting on a big creative meeting to finish up. Kev got added to our creative team maybe, what, a month ago? He's the reason we had to show up to this boring lil' place so early, but it's no big deal. I just want to take a nap.

Joli is standing across from me, puffing away on a cigarette as usual. I really do enjoy spending time alone with her, but it still hurts me every now and then. If I think about it for too long, I find myself longing for the relationship she and Kev have, and that's not good for anyone.

I love Jolene dearly, but I'm not going to come between her and Kev. I may be one selfish prick sometimes, but like hell I'm going to try to hurt them. When it comes to this shitty company, they're all I have. They're my best friends.

"Fuck, it's cold." I chuckle as I shove my hands into my pockets. "It's too early in the year for this shit."

"You know how it goes." Jolene shoots me a grin after exhaling a large cloud of smoke. She then pulls her carton out of her purse and reaches it out towards me. "You know, a cigarette would warm you right on up."

The perfect opportunity to give Joli some hell has arisen, so I have to take it. "I'm sorry, did you just offer me a cigarette? You, Jolene Milford, a woman who is infamous for her love of smoking?" I click my tongue. "I've not had a drop of booze all day, but I've got to be drunk right now."

Of course, Joli's welcoming expression instantly turns to one of playful annoyance. She's so damn cute when she's upset. Joli huffs as she returns her cigarettes to her purse, then she takes a quick puff and blows her smoke in my face. I send her a shit-eating grin.

"You're an asshole, you know that, right?" Joli rolls her eyes at me. "I try to be such a kind, considerate friend, and you get an attitude with me." She sighs dramatically. "Freeze, then. See if I care."

"I might, if it gets to be too much colder." I pull my jacket closer to my body. "Then, when they have to drag my cold body into the ring tonight, it's on you."

Joli shrugs in a nonchalant manner before dropping her cigarette butt to the ground and stomping it out. She starts strutting to the door, saying to me, "I'm going inside, now. If you want to stay out here and freeze your nuts off, then that's all on you,' as she walks.

She's always so quick to make little quips, whether it's to me, or Kev, or anybody else. Lord, Joli is something else.

"I'll have you know, the only reason I went outside in the first place is because you asked me to, girly." I tell Joli as I catch up to her. She tries to hide it, but I plainly see a smile coming to her lips. "Would you have rather gone out there by yourself?"

She hesitates before groaning, "No."

"Then don't get sassy with me." I tease. "I just know how protective you can be over your smokes."

Joli giggles and asks, "Did you really think I was offering one of my smokes?" She shakes her head. "Hell no! I was just saying that smoking would warm you up. I only showed you my carton to try and entice you into buying your own." Next, Joli pats her purse. "I wouldn't even share my cigarettes with Kev."

I can't help but laugh at that. An image of Joli trying to keep her cigarettes away from Kev crosses my mind, and I have to admit, it's funny. Kev would never have an interest in taking Joli's smokes for himself, but I'll have to tell him about this little conversation later on. He'll annoy the hell out of her, I have no doubt about that.

"Not even him? That's cold, Joli." I playfully scold her. "Colder than I could have been, if you'd left me out there."

"Shut up." Joli shoves my shoulder with one of her hands, just hard enough to get me to move a little. I grin. "You're such an asshole."

"That I am." I tell her proudly. Joli just shakes her head.

We make our way over to catering, where we spend the next couple of hours. Joli and I eat some lunch, but about halfway through our meal, Kim and Dally show up. They sit around with us for a while as they eat, but eventually, Dally gets called out to go plan a match or some shit. Kim stays with us longer than Dallas does, but she reluctantly leaves once one of our Nitro girls calls for her.

Joli has leaned back in the booth she's sitting in, and she's got her feet up on the table. Me? I'm pretty much laying on the table, with my arms folded across it to create a make-shift pillow. I can't help it! As soon as Dallas and Kimberly are both gone, my dreariness starts to overtake me once again.

It's around 2:30 in the afternoon when Kev comes strolling into the room. Joli notices him first, naturally. I hear her jump up from her seat and it jolts me back into consciousness. I didn't completely fall asleep, but I got about as close to it as I could in this shitty little room.

I'm still trying to wipe the sleep away as Kev and Joli kiss or whatever the fuck it is they're doing to greet each other. I don't really know or care, honestly.

I've learned that it's a lot easier for me to just leave Joli and Kev's personal business alone. At least at this point in my life, it's better for all of us if I just let them do their own thing with no questions asked.

"... Scott?" I yawn as I hear Kev say my name. I groggily turn my head to face him and Joli.

"Yeah man?" I mutter as I force myself up.

As Kev replies, I stretch my arms up above my head. My shoulders and knees pop as I stretch, and really, it's a great feeling. "I was just asking if you had a good nap. I guess you did." He then chuckles.

"Ah, I didn't really get to nap much." I shrug. "I was really just resting my eyes."

"Whatever you say, man." Kev takes a seat in the booth that Joli had been sitting in, and she soon slides in beside of him. His arm wraps around her shoulder as soon her ass touches the bench.

"How was the meeting, babe? Shitty as usual?" Joli asks as she leans over into Kev's side.

The expression on Kev's face is one I can't read. It looks like he's both amused and aggravated as he recalls the meeting that just finished up. The only thing I can tell for sure is that this was definitely a more interesting meeting than usual.

"Are you two ready to hear about this?" Kev looks down at Joli for a second before turning to me. "'Cause fuck, it's a good one. Today was pretty wild."

"I'd say so. You guys were in there a lot longer than usual." I mention as I grab my water bottle from the table. "Normally, it only take you all, what, three hours tops? And today it was..."

I trail off, because I'm not entirely sure how long it took. Kev jumps in though, filling in the blank. "Six. Six goddamn fuckin' hours that I'm never going to get back."

"Was it really that bad?" Joli's brows furrow in confusion. "Damn."

"Okay, so- Actually, fuck, let me start over." Kev clears his throat before he lets out a heavy sigh. "All right, so, the beginning of the meeting wasn't bad. In fact, it all started off pretty cool."

"As cool as any meeting that involves Bischoff can go, I'm sure." There's Joli's necessary dig at Eric. I don't blame her.

I mean, I'm still fucked up because of the shit he put me through. Really, it scares me more than I'd like to admit. It's like... It's like, just because I'm okay today and I'm pissed at him, I don't know how I'll be tomorrow.

Goddamn, I never want him to have any control over me again. Fuck you, Eric.

"Naturally." Kev agrees with Joli. "So, we're just talking about the normal shit at first, right? Like what the plan for Nitro is, what we're doing for Thunder, what we're doing for this and that and this and that..."

Kev then pauses for a moment, and I can see the frustration forming on his face. He runs a hand over his hair and then he rolls his eyes.

"Then, we start talking about more long-term plans. We discuss the simple things, like the next few weeks of TV tapings and shit for the live events and just about whatever the fuck else you could think of." Kev grunts. "Then, mid-conversation, the topic changes."

I share a confused glance with Joli before she asks, "To what?"

"To new members of the creative team." Kev mutters begrudgingly. It's obvious that whoever the fuck got added on has pissed him off from the start.

"Weren't you enough of an addition?" Joli scoffs.

"Apparently not." Kev takes a deep breath. "But, I have to say, the first couple of people that came in weren't bad. I have no idea who the fuck they are, but they seemed like they'd be okay to work with. Only time will tell if that's the case, but whatever."

It's obvious Kev's going to continue his train of thought, so Joli and I both remain quiet. As he speaks, though, Kev's eyes are scanning the room.

"So, we meet a couple of people who are going to be on the team and it seems like that's it. And then," I see Kev's eyes widen as he stares over at the doors to the catering room. "And then he walks in."

I turn around in my chair so that I can see who it is Kev's talking about, and I swear I don't believe my eyes. My mouth opens in shock, but I can't help it.

There's no way this actually fuckin' happening. You've got to be shitting me.

The frustration Kev seems to be feeling makes perfect sense now.

Vince fucking Russo is here in WCW, and he's walking over to our table.

"Russo?" I laugh as I shake my head in disbelief. "What the fuck is his jabroni ass doing here?"

"I guess McMahon got tired of his bitchy ass, because he's our problem now." Kev's ticked. "And oh fuckin' boy, he came with a list of shitty ideas!"

"He looks like a damn moron." Joli comments. Huh. I guess this really is the first time she's ever seen Russo in person. "Is he as dumb as he looks?"

"Scott Hall!" Just hearing his voice makes me cringe. "There you are!"

Just like that, I find myself wondering how much more shit WCW can get into. I love this place, and I love my friends, but our company is run by idiots.

Chapter 63: quality time

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I stretch my legs out and rest my feet on Kev's coffee table, just to make myself comfortable. It's a cold night here in Michigan, but I'm not complaining. Earlier today, our plane touched down and we've just been lounging around ever since. Really, it's been nice.

With all of the creative mumbo-jumbo that Kev has had to take care of as late, I feel like we haven't really had as much time to relax as we should. I'm proud of my love, but I can tell that all of this is taking its toll on him.

Even now, as I look over at Kev in the kitchen, I can tell he's tired. It's not the usual, 'I'm a wrestler and I put my body through a lot of shit' tired, it's more than that. Having to help book a wrestling promotion isn't an easy task by any means, and I'm sure having the intelligent duo of Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo doesn't help.

Kev doesn't complain about the work all that much. He mocks the stupid shit that happens in the meetings, and the idiotic decisions that are made there, but he never bitches about the job itself. He pretty much just takes the shit because he has to.

Once he's filled a couple of wine glasses up, Kev comes back into the living room. He passes me a glass before sitting down beside of me on the couch. Kev drapes his left arm across my shoulder while holding his wine out to me for a toast.

We clink glasses and then grin at each other. I swear, this man can make my heart stop just by looking at me.

After Kev and I down some of our wine, I sit my glass on the coffee table and lean into his side. I wrap one of my arms around his waist as I rest my cheek against his side. The arm that Kev has draped across me raises up, so that he can gently stroke my hair.

This is nice. This is the kind of quality time that I hold so dearly in my heart. It's just me, the love of my life, and a moment of peace.

What more could I ask for?

But of course, all good things must come to an end. When I lean up off of Kev's side and light up the cigarette that I had been keeping behind my ear, we start talking about wrestling.

"You know how I told you we came up with some crazy plans at the small meeting we had this morning?" Kev asks as I take a drag.

Honestly, it had slipped my mind.

"Vaguely." I admit as I grab my ashtray and place it in my lap. "To be fair, I was pretty much asleep when we left the hotel this morning."

Kev nods and I take another puff. "Well, it just crossed my mind again and I think you'll want to hear our big plans for Starcade."

I instantly perk up. Starcade is our equivalent of Wrestlemania, and if something big is happening, I'm excited to know what it is.

"How big are we talking?" I question. I scoot over just a bit, so that I can rest my back on the arm of the couch. I cross my legs on the couch, and Kev rests his hand on my knee.

"Well, there's going to be some shit happening in my match with Bill." Kev starts off. "You're probably going to laugh, but I think you'll love it."

Now, I'm definitely curious.

"Who's going over?" I ask first. "Please tell me it's not Bill."

I mean, I don't really have a problem with Bill, but why would I want him to win? Psh.

"Actually, it's me." Okay, I'm actually surprised by that. "Goldberg's big, bad streak is ending at Starcade."

Even though I would've hated to see Kev lose, I'm still shocked that Bill's coveted undefeated streak is going to be crushed. There's no one I'd rather have that honor than my babe.

"No shit?" I can't keep the surprise out of my voice. "They're actually letting him lose?"

"I didn't believe it at first either." Kev shrugs and then sends me a sexy little smirk. "It's not going to be a clean win, naturally, but's it happening."

"But how?" I prod. I can tell that it's got to be something good.

"You might not want to be smoking when I tell you, babe." Kev snickers as I exhale a cloud of smoke.

I nod and then quickly finish off my cigarette. As I do so, Kev just drinks his wine and watches me with this fond look of amusement. I love this man.

"Okay, so what is it?" I look over at Kev as I move my ashtray back to the coffee table.

"So, you're going to distract him, something I'm sure you already thought about. But," Kev grins, "Scott is going to do something to Bill while you've got his attention."

"And that something is?"

"He's going to tase the living fuck out of him." How Kev manages to say this with a straight face, I'll never know.

I start giggling, and before I know it, I've leaned over into my lap and I'm laughing my ass off. The image of Bill Goldberg being hit by a taser is just horribly amusing to me.

Am I a bad person for laughing like this? I don't think so, but then again, I've been told that my sense of humor can be quite different from everyone else's.

"I told you that you'd find it funny." Kev comments as I finally settle down. To be quite honest, I'm not sure why I found it as funny as I did, but that's okay. We all deserve a good laugh every now and then.

"I'm kind of jealous, though." I tell Kev, unable to stop myself from smiling. "I wish I got to tase someone."

"I'm sure you'll get your chance, babe." Kev winks at me. "I think I might be able to pull some strings to get that to happen for you."

I'll love Kevin regardless of what his job is, but I have to say, him having creative control has its benefits.

"Can I tase Eric?" That's something I never expected to ask, but the thought makes me extremely excited. "Please?"

"I don't know if that's something that I could work out for you, babe, but we'll see." Kev tells me as he rubs my knee. I can tell that he'd love nothing more than to see me tase the shit out of Bischoff, but he's also trying to be reasonable.

"Ah, a girl can only dream." I sigh dramatically.

It'd be a great thing for me to do. Maybe the shock of the taser would be enough to jolt him back to reality, and knock him out of this fantasy world he's been living in?

Nah, I doubt it. Eric Bischoff will always be a heaping pile of shit.

I reach forward and grab my glass off the table, though I only take a couple of sips of wine before sitting it back down. I then scoot back over to Kevin and lay my head in his lap. I lay with my back on the couch and my face looking up towards the ceiling.

"So, what do you want to do for Christmas this year?" Kev asks as his fingers begin to comb through my hair. I love when he does this. "Do you want it to be just us, or...?"

This year, we really don't have many options for Christmas. I'd love it if the Kliq could completely meet up, but there's not a chance in hell of that happening.

Shawn's a mess, and we've not even heard from him in a couple of months. I can't tell if I want to be mad at him or not, considering how much shit he's going through. I'm not happy with the way he's treated the rest of us, but I know there's at a some-what decent guy hidden somewhere deep inside of Hickenbottom. 

Let's just hope that guy doesn't lose the fight with Shawn's demons.

Paul and Kid are too busy to even bother trying to meet up with. Besides, I'm sure if they're free, they'll probably just spend the holiday with their families. Paul has been trying to figure his romantic life out lately, too, so I'd say he's definitely wanting to spend some time alone with Joanie this Christmas.

I've only met Joanie once, so I don't know how I really feel about her. Paul, Shawn, and Kid like her, so that's good enough for me.

Unless she hurts Paul. In that case, fuck her.

Scott's spending Christmas with his ex and Cody, something that I hope goes well for him. I know he's been really looking forward to the time with Cody, and I'm glad for him.

Scott deserves all of the happiness in the world. I want him to enjoy life.

Meanwhile, my beloved brother and his beautiful wife are going on a trip for Christmas. Neither Dally nor Kim have really said anything about where they're going or what they're going to do, but they both seem really excited about it.

I bet they're going to fuck a lot. Dally has always liked to give me hell for how much I enjoy sex, but he's a wild animal himself. Little bitch can't lie to me.

"Do you have any family you would want to visit?" I ask.

"Not really. There's no one I'm dying to see." Kev shrugs indifferently. He goes quiet for a moment before looking down at me and asking, "You?"

"Oh hell no." I laugh. "I took one look at mom's invitation when it arrived and I tossed that shit in the trash."

"Who all would be there?" Kev's question makes me groan.

"It's usually just my parents, but sometimes my aunts and uncles and all of those fuckers show up." I look over at Kev. "Don't tell me you want to meet them."

"I guess it's more of a morbid curiosity than anything." Kev admits. "You've barely mentioned your parents, and I kind of want to see how lame they are." He then pauses and asks, "Unless being around them would fuck with your mind."

"Nah, it's nothing like that. My parents are shitty, but they're not Thomas shitty. They've just never given a damn about me unless I've been able to be of use to them." I then sit up and raise a brow at Kev. "Do you really want to spend Christmas with my family?"

"How far away from your place do your parents live?" Kev asks next.

"Not too far. They live about an hour and a half away from me, but they've never tried to visit me. Oh, but goddamn, mom can send me invites in the mail." I have to roll my eyes.

"I think it's worth a shot, then." Kev grabs both of my hands and rubs his thumbs over the backs of them. "If it gets to be too shitty, we'll just bail."

"To be fair, I don't think it'll be shitty." I mutter. "I mean, I'll probably end up in a fight with at least mom, but that's okay."

"We don't have to go if you don't want to, babe." Kev kisses my cheek. I smile and then connect our lips for a quick second.

"You know what? Fuck it." I say with a small laugh. "Let's do it. Why not?" I then shoot Kev a grin. "If nothing else, we can always laugh at them."

"True enough." I know it's probably going to be a mess, but hey, I know my parents aren't going to hurt me.

I never thought that the first Christmas Kev and I would spend together as a couple would be with my family, but I guess life has a funny way of working. Let's see how this plays out.

Chapter 64: meet the milfords

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

When I suggested that we spend Christmas with Jolene's family, I had not the slightest idea what I was in for.

That is the first thing that I realize when we walk into Joli's parents house. It's a simple place; it's pretty clean with nice enough decorations. Definitely a decent place to live.

It's the family that catch me off guard. From the way Joli spoke of everyone, I half expected them to have devil horns growing out of their heads. I shouldn't be surprised by the fact that these are regular looking people, but I sort of am.

We didn't knock to get in the house. Joli just opened the door and we walked on in. Even once I close the door behind me, no one pays us any attention.

Huh.

There are three men sitting on the couch, and they're just watching some local news channel, it looks like. I look over to Joli, trying to see how she reacts to them.

However, she doesn't say a word. Joli just grabs my hand and begins leading me into the kitchen.

This whole experience is already weird. I don't know what's going on.

Joli drops my hand and I stand in the door frame of the kitchen as she walks over to the fridge. There are three women in here, and they're busy gossiping and cooking. Joli grabs a couple of bottles of water from the refrigerator and then snags an empty bottle from the trash.

My girl takes a seat at the kitchen table and then motions for me to sit down beside of her. I do, naturally, but as I walk over to Joli, she pulls her carton of smokes and her lighter out of her purse.

I can tell by the smug, sexy smirk on Jolene's lips that what she's about to do is going to piss someone off. Goddamn, I love this woman.

Sure enough, the moment that smoke begins flying off Joli's cigarette, one of the women at the over turns around. This chick looks a lot like my babe, just... Angrier? Older? I don't know, she's not as hot as my Joli.

"Jolene! Alice! Milford! What in God's name are you doing in my house?" She sounds bitchier than Joli, too.

"Hi, mom." Joli waves with her hand that's holding her cigarette. "It's nice to see you, too!"

"That's not what I'm talking about." The woman huffs. "Put that cigarette out this instance!"

"Oh come on, mom, a little smoke isn't going to kill anyone." My girl is just trying to pick a fight, but I'm not going to stop her. "I finally show up around here and that's the greeting I get?"

"You're such a pain in the ass." Joli's mom sighs. "Welcome home, I guess."

You guess? Get the fuck out of here.

"Oh, don't worry, we'll be out of your hair before too long." Jolene winks at her mother. "Merry Christmas."

It seems like this is the first time Joli's mom notices me, because she turns her head to me and scans me over. I just stare blankly at the woman, because she doesn't seem to be that impressed by me at first glance.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Huh, isn't she sweet? Her blunt tone makes me know I'm loved here.

"Kevin Nash." I extend my hand out to my girl's mom across the table, just to be polite. "I'm Joli's boyfriend."

"Oh!" She laughs and ignores my attempt at a handshake. I shrug it off and grab my water bottle. "My name is Mary. As I'm sure you know, I'm unfortunately Jolene's mother." Mary then giggles. "I apologize for not speaking to you sooner. I wasn't sure if you and Jolene were actually together, or if you were just her fuck of the week, or-"

"Love you too, mom!" Joli chimes in, interrupting Mary.

"Uh-huh, anyway, nice to meet you, Mary." I mutter and then take a drink of my water.

"I'm going to go back to cooking now." Mary mutters as she sends a glare to Joli. However, Joli's just wearing a grin and puffing away on her smoke.

"She seems nice." I jokingly say to my girl as Mary heads back to her oven. "I can see why you two get along so well."

"Ah, she's always been a bitch." Joli whispers back. "Just wait until later, when she and dad start grilling me about my life. It'll be a real treat to see."

Honestly, Joli's not the least bit worried or concerned about it. She's fueling the fire in her family, but I can't say I blame her.

After all, most of them haven't said a damn word to her since we got here. I don't expect anyone to talk to me, but Jolene? She's the best member of this family and no one is paying her any attention at all.

It's bullshit.

When Joli finishes her cigarette, she puts it out in the empty bottle that she's been using as an ash tray. She then pops open her drink and starts chugging the water in it.

Goddamn, my girl looks good today. I just have to take a minute to sit back and admire the fine piece off ass that stole my fuckin' heart. She's rocking the little red and white Christmas dress that she's wearing, with a pair of sexy black boots and a beautiful snowman necklace.

It may be cold as shit outside, but Jolene is always hot as hell. Woah.

We sit around at the kitchen table for about half an hour, just talking to each other. Joli's family doesn't pay us any attention during this time, but I don't care. If they don't want to talk to us, so be it.

Once the food gets done, the family starts filing into the kitchen. Looks like the three ladies who have been cooking are the only chicks in the family, aside from my girl. As far as guys go, though, it looks like there are six in total; three that had been sitting by the television and seem to be around Joli's mom's age, and then there are three that are closer to Joli's age.

Everyone gathers around the table, with the oldest adults taking seats. The three younger guys just stand around it, because there aren't enough seats for them.

"Okay everyone, lower your heads for prayer." The guy at the head of the table instructs. I'm guess that's Joli's dad?

Everyone's head drops, except for mine and Joli's. My girl isn't really religious, and I know that. We look from each other to the food as the family prays.

"All right, fill up, everyone!" Mary cheers, looking over at everyone but me and Joli.

What a bitch!

"So, who are all these dicks?" I whisper into Joli's ear. She giggles, making no attempt to hide her amusement.

"Starting from the head of the table, that's my dad, Chuck." Joli points at everyone as she says their name. "There's my caring mother, who you've met. There's Aunt Donna, Uncle Darren, and then Uncle Derrick, Aunt Courtney. My cousins are the three assholes in the living room."

No one even bats an eye at Joli talking shit about her cousins.

"And, for my family that actually care," Joli says a bit more loudly, "this is my handsome as fuck boyfriend, Kevin, who loves me more than any of you have ever loved me."

I can't help but crack a grin at Joli. I lean down and place a kiss on her cheek, something that makes her smirk smugly.

For whatever reason, Joli's blonde-haired Aunt - Donna? - looks over at me. She looks me over, sort of like Mary did earlier. Unlike Mary, though, Donna looks like she's thrilled to see me.

"So your name is Kevin?" This woman smiles at me, trying to be flirty. Oh boy. "I'm Donna."

"So I've heard." I reply, trying not to laugh at this whole situation.

"You're not the same age as Jolene, are you?" Donna questions as she bats her eyelashes at me.

I'm sorry, honey, but you're no where near as hot as your niece. And goddamn, your personality is shit.

"Nope." I shake my head. "I'm seven years older than her."

This makes Donna's cooky eyes light the fuck up. "You know, I'm only forty-five years old myself. I've always enjoyed a younger man, even if it's only by a few years."

"Jesus Christ, Donna, it's no surprise your husband left you." Joli's dad shakes his head in disappointment. "It's Christmas and you're trying to slut it up with some wrestler!"

Okay. Wait a second.

It's okay if your sister or sister-in-law or who-the-fuck-ever tries to flirt with your daughter's boyfriend, but it isn't okay that I'm a wrestler?

How the fuck does he even know what I do? Whatever.

Joli must sense that the stupidity of her family is blowing my mind, because she sends me this 'I tried to warn you' look. I shake my head back at her.

"First of all, we weren't really married." Donna yells back defensively. "We just told the family that to get you all off my ass!"

"So you're a liar, huh?" One of Joli's uncle's pops in. "I always knew you were a lying bitch, Donna."

"Shut up, Derrick!" Donna leans past Joli's other uncle and smacks Derrick's arm.

"Fuck you!" Derrick hisses.

"Fuck you!" Donna retorts.

Donna and Derrick get into some sort of argument, but Joli just eats her meal without a care in the world. I try and do the same, but it's hard to look away from the catastrophe in front of me.

The final straw on the camel's back falls when Joli's other uncle, Darren, tries to get in the argument. At that point, Mary slams her hands on the table and clears her throat.

"HEY!" Mary yells out. The arguing adults settle themselves for the moment, and everyone but Joli stops what they're doing. "There are my important things to do than argue over my smart-ass daughter's-" Mary looks over at me and then shrugs, "My smart-ass daughter's somewhat attractive boyfriend!"

"Can I see you all in the living room for just a moment?" Joli's dad asks, looking over at Mary and Joli's aunts and uncles. "Just a quick second."

Everyone looks over at me and Joli and then stands. There's not a doubt in my mind that they're going in there to talk shit, but I am surprised they're not still doing it to our faces.

These bitches are shady.

The older Milford's head into the living room with Jolene's cousins and I'm left with my babe once again. I've eaten as much as I want to, so I turn to my girl with a devious smirk on my lips.

I'm tired of these fuckers just constantly shitting on my girl or acting like she doesn't exist. I know the perfect thing to do.

"What?" Joli asks with a laugh. "I told you that they're all really shitty people."

"They are." I agree. "But, I have a big question."

"Shoot me straight." Joli grins.

"How much do you hate your family?"

My question surprises Joli, but only for a quick second. She thinks for just a moment before replying, "My family as a whole is probably number 3 on my shit-list."

"Okay." I smirk. "Then when they come back in here, just go along with what I do. I think you'll be into it."

"What?" Joli raises a brow. "I don't understand what you're planning."

"Just trust me."

I can tell Joli wants to ask more questions, but she's got this genuine curiosity in her eyes. I can see that rebellious spunk on my babe's face that I love so much.

A couple of minutes pass and then Joli's family files back in. They take their places back at the kitchen table and start talking to one another like a 'normal' family again.

My gaze casually flickers around the room as I mindlessly follow the conversations, but my left hand slides down to Joli's right knee. I can feel her tense up in surprise, but she instantly relaxes into my touch. As I begin to caress my girl's thigh, I look over at her.

Joli's trying to push the excitement off of her face, but I see right through her. She mouths, 'I fucking love you' as I continue to work her up. Best of all, none of the other Milford's are paying us any fuckin' attention.

While the family eats, I slide my fingers around Joli's panties. She's wearing a lacy pair, and it's so fucking easy to tease her in them. Joli crosses her arms over her chest and starts softly digging her nails into her arms in an attempt to keep herself quiet.

Of course, as soon as I slide those panties out of the way and pop a finger into her dripping puss, she has to kick her knee up onto the table to create a clatter that hides her small moan. Joli's family only looks over at us for a brief moment before returning to their business.

I swear, it's perfect. I've got my girl cumming all over my hand time and time again while her bitchy family members sit here, completely oblivious to all of it. I slide my other hand under the table for just a quick moment, so that I can rub my cock over my pants.

I keep my girl going until she kisses my cheek and whispers in my ear that she can't take anymore right now. I fake a cough, so that I can have an excuse to lean over and suck her cum off my fingers. Goddamn.

"I think we're going to head out." Jolene declares. She tries to stand up, but her knees are wobbly and weak at first, so she stumbles. Everyone gives her a confused, judging look, but little do these fuckers know, they're the ones that got played.

"It was kind of nice to meet you all." I wave half-heartedly to the family as I stand up as well. Aunt Donna tries to wink at me, but I quickly avert my eyes away from her.

"I'll see you all in hell!" Joli tells them cheerfully as she grabs my damp hand. "Bye!"

Joli drags me out of the kitchen and then out of the house. I hear her cousins ask what the rush was about, but I don't pay them any attention. As soon as Joli and I get outside, I take her into my arms and crash my lips against hers.

The snow falls into our hair as we kiss, and I'm sure it's some picture-perfect romantic scene.

"I really can't explain how much I love you." Joli tells me with the widest of grins as we pull apart.

"I love you too, baby." I smile at my Joli.

"You're fucked up, you know that, right?" Joli giggles as she jumps into the passenger seat of her car. She pulls out a smoke and lights it up as I get into the driver's seat and turn on the car.

"Ah, I'm not that bad. I'm just not going to let people talk shit about my girl without getting back at them in some way or another." I kiss Joli's cheek before adding, "Besides, you're going to be the one that's fucked up later tonight."

As I pull out of the driveway of Joli's parents house, Joli starts rubbing my dick over my pants. We're probably going to end up pulling over to fuck somewhere on the way back to Joli's house, but I honestly don't care.

This has been a damn good day, I think, considering I got to meet the Milfords. Joli's family is fucked up, but she's not. Nah, Jolene Milford is everything I've ever wanted and more. I'm damn one lucky man.

I also got to finger-fuck my girlfriend in front of her aforementioned family. I'm proud of that accolade.

Merry Christmas to us!

Chapter 65: the best thing

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

The WWF has WrestleMania, and WCW has Starcade. While their big show of the year usually takes place in either March or April, ours takes place much later in the year. In fact, this year, our Starcade takes place just two days after Christmas. It sucks because we haven't had much time to rest after the holidays, but it is what it is.

I mean, I was able to spend Christmas with Cody, so I really have no reason to complain. Seeing his sweet little face light up as he opened his presents made me happier than I've been in quite a while. My boy is getting to be so big now, I can barely believe it. It's mind-blowing to think about how my boy is going to be eight years old soon.

Where has the time gone? It seems like it was only yesterday that my little Codster came into this world. So much has changed since then, but my love for him has only grown.

My son is the fuckin' best.

Today, Starcade day, has been as crazy as you would expect. We've been running press shit and fan events all day long, and even now, near the end of the whole thing, it's hectic.

Don't get me wrong, I love this shit, but it can be rough sometimes.

I look over at Kev and Joli as we all stand together at Gorilla. It's just about time for the main event to start, and it's going to be a big one.

Kevin Nash vs Goldberg for the WCW Championship. Will Big Sexy take the title, or will Goldberg's streak continue?

I'm really not upset that Bill's streak is ending, if I had to be honest. I'm not the biggest fan of the way Bill acts. Maybe this will shut him up.

"You ready to fuck some shit up out there, man?" I give Kev a grin.

"Oh, yeah. This should be fun." Kev laughs. He's been trying to no-sell the fact that he's hyped as fuck to be champion, but I see through him. I mean, it's obvious by the look on his face that he's excited!

"You guys know that I'm going to have more fun with this than I should, right? I couldn't think of a better way to send '98 out." Joli's eyes are bright as she undoubtedly imagines what it's going to look like when I tase Bill.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to that, too. Is that petty? Probably. But it'll be fun.

"Thirty seconds, you two!" One of the backstage workers tells Kev and Joli. I pat Kev's shoulder and give both him and Joli proud smiles.

"Go kick some ass, guys. Knock 'em dead." I tell my best friends. Joli nods back at me and Kev just fuckin' grins.

The two of them kiss and scoot closer to the exit. As soon as our music hits, Kev and Joli head on out.

I can hear the pop that they get as I head over to find a monitor to watch. Although things haven't been the best for WCW over the past couple of months, the nWo is still as over as it has always been. Degeneration X and Steve Austin have helped pull the WWF out of their rut in the ratings, but we're still killing it.

Still though, I can't help but wonder about this company sometimes. Is this shit going to pick back up soon, rating-wise? This Monday Night War has become wild, and even though we lead the race for a long time, we've had our asses handed to us this year. '96 and '97 were our years, but '98?

We've been royally fucked.

Ah well, I guess I can't really complain too much, considering that I'm still pulling a huge paycheck. I get paid, even if WCW gets its ass kicked. This whole guaranteed money deal is the fuckin' best.

As I settle down in a nice, uncomfortable folding chair near a television set that's not too far from Gorilla, I reach down into the pockets of my pants and pull my taser out. I can't help but smile as I look down at the damn goofy thing.

This is going to be one of the dumbest things ever, but I love it. I mean, I guess it makes sense that this is the only way to take Goldberg down, since Bill is supposed to be this big, unstoppable force. At the same time, thought, it's fuckin' comical.

It's going to be hard for Joli to not break character out there, I just know it. She's been talking about how excited she is for the ending of the match, and it's just because of how ridiculous it is.

And to think, this won't be the last time I get to tase this motherfucker. It's just the first.

I place the taser in my lap as I focus back on the television in front of me. Joli and Kev have made their way to the ring already, and they're just waiting on Bill.

Of course, Bill's entrance takes way too long. Really, that kind of thing bugs me regardless of the competitor is. People don't want to sit and watch you take five minutes to get to the damn ring, they would much rather see five minutes of you fighting it out with your opponent. Everyone should have a nice entrance, but it shouldn't take too long.

I lean back in my chair and make myself comfortable as I watch everything play out. Even though I already know how it's going to go, I've still got to watch it. Not only am I going to have to watch for my cue, Kev and Joli are out there.

I'd be a pretty big dick to not watch my best friend's match when I'm in the same damn building.

Kev and Bill start going after one another, and crowd is pretty into it. It's obvious that everyone is on the edge of their seats, curious about Bill and his streak. It's natural, I guess, considering how well protected it's been. There are going to be some pretty pissed of fans tonight, when Kev goes over.

It's going to be great. We live for this kind of heat. That's just how we roll.

As the match progresses, Joli does a damn good job at playing her role. I swear, I love being able to just sit back and watch her whenever she's at ringside or she's on the mic, because she's a fuckin' star. I've been thinking back a lot lately to our days with Dallas in The Diamond Mine, and goddamn, Joli has grown so much.

I genuinely feel like she's become one of the best managers in the business, and I'm so proud of her. Joli's got a hell of a lot of talent in her little body, and the fact that she gets to really showcase that is amazing.

However, almost everything Joli tries to throw at Bill, he has a counter for. At the same time, though, Bill always falls into her traps; he just finds ways out of them. It's weird, and it makes both of them look bad to some degree.

Joli still kills it, though. Fuck, she's good.

Kev out there kicking ass, too. He and Bill are working pretty well together, all things considered. It's fun enough to watch, I have to say. It's not Kev's best outing, but it doesn't have to be. He's just here to take the belt and crush the big thing that Goldberg has going for him.

It seems as though everything in kayfabe goes to shit within the blink of an eye. Members of our group flood into the ringside area one by one and do their best to take Bill out. Of course, none of them are able to touch him. Bill defeats them all without any difficulties.

At this point, I'm slowly making my way down there as well, taser in hand. Joli and I share a quick glance as a way to silently communicate with one another. She's ready for this, I can tell.

Kev gets back in the ring and starts arguing with referee, who is throwing a fit about all of the nWo members who have run down to help him out. Joli starts yelling at Bill, and he's yelling right back at her.

It's kind of funny to look at, honestly. You have feisty little Jolene arguing with Bill, who is leaps and bounds larger than her. Bill looks intimidating as fuck compared to her, but I'd personally be more afraid of Joli.

When the girl gets pissed off, she's hard to tame.

With Bill and the referee both distracted, it's beyond easy for me to just jump up on the apron and stick the taser into Bill's back. The crowd gasps and pops as I tase Bill, and I want to laugh at their reactions. I can't even look at Joli, because I know that we would both lose our shit.

I scurry off to the back as Bill stumbles around the ring. I hope he's selling that the way he should be, as I don't get to watch him as I leave. I can hear the sound of Bill's back hitting the mat once Kev hits him with the jackknife.

That's it. That's the match.

I've just made it backstage as the three count ends. The crowd goes wild as Kev gets handed the title, just as we all knew they would. I peak around from the curtain and watch as Joli and Kev celebrate in the ring, sealing Kev's victory with a long kiss.

They're the fuckin' best, and I know that. I hate the pain that I feel in my chest whenever I see them outwardly expressing their love like that, because I know that isn't fair to them. I shouldn't be like this.

But, I've become a lot more accustomed to seeing lovey-dovey Kev and Joli since they officially got together. Fuck, they've almost been together for a year now, haven't they?

Shit, that sort of hurts. At the same time, I'm happy for them.

Joli needs Kev, and he's been so damn good for her. He's taught her how to love again, and she's finally beginning to move past all of the shit that her ex did to her.

The most painful part of it all is realizing that I could never have helped her like that. If Joli and I were together, we'd destroy each other, at least in this point in our lives. I'm still not in anywhere near good enough of a place to try and help repair her heart.

Oh well. Fuck it.

With the match over, Bill heads backstage first. He doesn't even look at me, but that's fine. He's just aggravated about his creative booking, so whatever. He'll get over it.

However, when Kev and Joli make it backstage, I greet them with grins and bottles of water. I mean, I snag the bottles at the last possible second, but they're grateful for it.

I hand Joli her bottle, but I pop the lid off of Kev's for him. He's got the title over one shoulder and he's chugging the water with his free hand, while Joli is too busy bursting into laughter to take a drink.

"I can't believe that shit actually happened. I swear, I was somewhat convinced that things would change backstage and you wouldn't really tase him. But fuck!" Joli's laughter never seems to end, though I'm not complaining.

Her laughter is like fuckin' music to my ears.

"You're crazy, babe." Kev lovingly shakes his head before kissing the top of her head. "It wasn't that funny."

"I don't know, man, it kind of was." I have to agree with Joli. "Go back and watch the spot, and you'll laugh. I guarantee it."

"It was the best thing I've ever seen." Joli snickers. "I can't wait to tase him myself."

"It's fun." I tell her with a smirk. "You'll love it."

Joli and I start rambling on about the craziness of the match, and Kev just listens to us go. I can tell he's catching his breath and taking a moment to relax before he goes to shower, and that's totally cool. I mean, he just finished a big match.

You know, this right here is what all of this is about. There's nothing better than talking shit with your buddies after you've just finished a match, especially one that's getting you so much fuckin' heat.

Chapter 66: a can of worms

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

I finish the last puff of my cigarette before quickly stomping it out on the ground. The late January air is fuckin' cold this afternoon, and I really don't want to be out here longer than I have to. I love my nicotine, but damn, this is crazy.

One look at the sky and it's easy to tell that a snowstorm is on its way. Fuck, I hope that we don't get stuck here.

That would be the worst, wouldn't it? All of the WCW crew stuck in a shitty little arena with a houseful of fans. Plus, there's the staff and crew of the building, and, God, it'd be a big mess.

As soon as I close the door behind me, the heat in the arena washes over me. It's a beautiful, wonderful feeling, but I don't focus on it for too long.

Why would I, when I spot Dallas strutting down a nearby hallway?

"Dallas!" I call out to my big bro as I walk over to him. "What's up?"

Dally gives me a grin as soon as his eyes land on me, and we give each other a quick, one-armed hug. I sure as hell appreciate his warmth.

"You were out in the cold again, weren't you?" Dallas asks. He's shaking his head disapprovingly at me, and I can't help but laugh. "Smoking a cigarette isn't worth freezing your ass."

"I'll warm up and be okay." I reply as we start walking off towards wherever the fuck Dally was heading. "Where's Kim?"

"Good to see you too." Dally nudges me playfully with his elbow. "She's practicing with her girls. You know how that goes."

I nod, knowing how much time Kim has invested with the Nitro Girls. That's her place in the company now, and she's killing it there. Kimmy's so hot and talented, it's really no surprise that she's leading the lot. They're lucky to have her.

"Kev in a meeting?" Dallas asks as he casually folds his arms across his chest.

"Yes indeed." I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth. "Hopefully, he won't be busy too much longer." I then look up at my brother. "Where are you headed?"

"Just going to check some merch out. Nothing big. I heard they had some shirts made up for me and I wanted to see what they looked like." Dallas shrugs. "You're welcome to hang with me as long as you'd like."

"Really?" I have to tease him. "I'm flattered. The great Diamond Dallas Page is inviting me to spend some time with him."

"I don't know why I try with you sometimes." Naturally, Dallas dramatically rolls his eyes. "You're such a little shit, Jolene." He then gives me a smirk and goes to put me in a headlock, but I quickly duck away from him and jump on his back.

"Onward, noble steed!" I point forward with my right hand. "To the merchandising department!"

At first, Dallas starts running down the hallway; but, as soon as I get comfortable and start having fun, he stops abruptly. I nearly fall off of his back, and Dally fuckin' cackles at the alarmed squeak that escapes from my lips.

"Dallas!" I hiss as I wrap one arm tightly around his neck and smack his shoulder with my other hand. "You prick!"

"You see, Joli?" Dally snickers. "That's why we're nice to people. Because you never know when they could drop you on your ass."

I groan and rest my chin on Dally's shoulder, right where I had just smacked him. "Asshole." I mumble childishly.

"Love you too, sister."

He's a douche sometimes, but what can I say? Dallas is one of my favorite people in this chaotic world. He truly is like the big brother I never had, and I wouldn't trade him for anyone.

After all, I do consider Dallas as part of my family. The Milford's? Fuck them, especially after the way they treated me and Kev on Christmas. If that's the last time I ever see any of them, I won't complain.

For the next hour, Dally and I just goof around the arena. His new shirts look really cool, and let's be honest, I'm probably going to get one. I'll add it to the collection I have at home, of badass shirts of my friend's.

Dally goes off to check on Kim, and I head off to go smoke another cig. Surely, Kev won't be gone too much longer.

I'm on my way outside when I notice Scott walking down a long hallway, pretty far away from me. It looks like he's stumbling, which automatically makes my heart drop.

Tell me he isn't drunk.

I shove my cigarettes and my lighter back into my purse as I follow after Scott. If he's fucked up, someone's going to need to check on him and make sure he's okay.

Surely, he's okay, though. Maybe his knee is hurting him and he's trying to be super careful? Or maybe he's trying to practice selling an injury?

I know that's probably not the case, but goddammit...

Scott must've gone into some room, because as soon as I get to where I first saw him, he's out of sight. I nibble on my bottom lip in frustration as I slowly walk around, trying to see if I can find him or at least hear him.

"... is this really what you want?" Scott's slurred voice is impossible to miss as I head down the hallway. I think he's a few rooms down.

But fuck, he's drunk. Fuck, fuck, fuck!!! Kev, babe, tonight is going to be rough.

"... So, don't worry about it." Who the fuck is that? Their voice is so low, I can barely hear them. "You'll be fine." Is this-? "You're just showing the world your true self. No sugarcoating."

I didn't hear this right. There's no way I'm hearing this shit. This guy is speaking so quietly, I can't entirely hear him.

"I don't even fuckin' care at this point." Scott laughs dryly as I approach the room. "You're right; this is me. And this is all I'll ever be."

"That's right, and-" Holy. Fucking. Shit.

As soon as I get into the door frame and see the person Scott's been talking to, I feel my hand clench into a fist. I did hear all of this right. I must've.

"What in the fuck have you been telling him, Eric?" I try to keep my voice level, but I know my anger is obvious.

Eric isn't the least bit phased by my reaction; he just wears a smug little smile on his bastard face. "May we help you, Jolene?"

I can't even look at Scott right now, and he's staying silent.

"You were filling his mind with bullshit just then, weren't you?" I want to scream. "Exactly what do you of all people know about the real Scott Hall?"

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Eric replies coyly. "Scott and I were just-"

"Cut the shit, Bischoff." I can feel my nails digging into my palm as I stare this bastard down. "A drunk man, one of your top workers at that, and you encourage that behavior? Because he's just 'showing the world the real him?' Fuck you!"

Saying that I'm mad would be an understatement. I'm absolutely furious, and perhaps the worst part of all is that I know this is a fight I'm going to lose.

For now, at least.

"I didn't say anything of that nature, Jolene." Eric shakes his head. "I promise." He then turns to Scott and motions for him to leave the room. I watch as Scott sadly darts out. "And, even if I were to have said something, there'd be no way to prove it."

"Excuse me, asshole?" My entire body has tensed up, and my fight-or-flight instincts are telling me just one thing.

Fight.

"Really, who would be more believable?" Eric questions quizzically. "A drunken has-been?" He shakes his head and I feel a piece of my heart crack. "Or, the successful leader of the company, who has never had a substantial complaint filed against him?"

He's got a point and it pisses me off. This is why I can't win this today. Fucking hell.

"They most definitely would not believe one of the bitches that entered the company strictly on her appearance, especially when that bitch is now successfully sleeping her way to the top."

"Shut your mouth, Bischoff." My voice is little more than a hiss.

"I guess the relationship with the drunk didn't show enough promise, so you started exclusively fucking the bigger guy with the brighter future." Eric hums. "Smart move, really. You chose the worse worker of the two, but at least Nash won't end up choking on his own-"

"You fucking piece of shit!"

Everything blurs for a moment and the next thing I know, I'm being restrained by the Macho Man. Eric is standing defensively against the farthest wall of the room and a small crowd has gathered.

"Randy, let me go." I look back at Mach over my shoulder in time to see him shake his head. "Please."

"Sorry, Jolene, I can't do that." I'd try to wiggle out of his grasp, but it'd be useless. "You know you're going to be in a lot of trouble, don't you?"

"For what?" I scoff, turning my attention back to Eric. "I didn't touch him."

"Oh, but you tried." Randy sighs heavily. "That wasn't a good decision on your part."

"You'd have done the same." I shrug.

"Probably." Randy mutters, so that only I can hear him. "I'm sure you've got your reasons, Milford."

Thanks, Randy. I really do appreciate that.

"Hold onto her for just a couple of more minutes for me, Macho." Eric instructs. "I believe her boyfriend will like to be present for what I'm about to do."

Goddammit, I'm fucked, aren't I?

Randy holds me back as we wait for Kev to show up, and the more time passes, the larger this knot of dread in my stomach becomes. I fucking hate Eric Bischoff with every fiber of my being. He's not going to get away with this.

I'm not sure how long it takes for my babe to arrive, but it feels like it takes forever.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Kev asks as he walks into the room. The crowd has left at this point, since they lost interest in what was happening.

"Here, she's yours to hold now." Randy tells Kev as he lets me go. "I didn't try any freaky shit, man. But, you're not going to like any of this."

"What?" Kev asks Randy as he leaves. Kev shakes his head at Randy before wrapping an arm around me and turning to Eric. "What was the big fuckin' emergency?"

"I wanted you to be able to hear this announcement, Kevin." Eric tells my babe solemnly before staring me down. As he speaks, there's this subtle, aggravatingly smug gleam in his eyes.

"Until further notice," Eric declares, "Jolene Milford is suspended from World Championship Wrestling for attempting to assault Eric Bischoff, the President of the company."

My mouth drops to floor. I can't look at Kev, I can only stare angrily back at Bischoff.

Suspended? 'Until further notice'? No. No. No.

"You're suspending me?! You little-" Kev interrupts my rambling by placing a hand softly over my mouth. My narrowed eyes relax and my head just fuckin' drops.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Eric." Kev's stern voice is my only comfort. "You realize that you're risking fucking up the Wolfpac/Goldberg storyline by suspending her, don't you?"

"I am aware of that." Eric chuckles. "We'll find a way to work around it- or rather, you'll find a way to do that." He then hums softly. "I think you'll need to re-write at least a couple of months of television, just to be safe." Eric pauses before adding, "Thunder tonight will need to be changed as well."

That motherfucking piece of shit. He's putting more work on Kev as a way to get back at me. He's punishing Kev because of me.

"When this company goes to shit, Eric," Kev's voice is like a growl, "it's on your head. No one else's."

Without a word more, Kev leads me out of Eric's office and out to the parking garage. I want to say something, anything, but I don't know what.

When we reach our rental, Kev pulls me into a big hug. We stand there in the cold for a long moment, just holding each other close.

"Babe, I swear, I-" I try to spill the story, but Kev cuts me off with a quick kiss.

"I trust you, baby." He's not happy about all of this, and I don't blame him. "Head on back to the hotel, and we'll talk about this later, okay? I've got to get back and get changed."

Kev hands me the keys and I pull him back for a long, loving kiss. Fuck, this sucks!!!

"I love you, Kev." I tell him before he leaves.

"I love you too, Joli. I'll see you later, okay?"

I watch him head off before jumping into our car and turning the heat on. As I light up my smoke, I lean my head back against my seat.

What have I gotten myself into?

You're not going to win this, Eric, I can promise you that. You've opened up a can of worms that you're going to wish you never fucked with.

Chapter 67: for the kliq

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

Without Joli on the road with me, honestly, the whole thing is just one big fuckin' bore. Since I started on the creative team, my work load has increased a shit ton, but that wasn't so bad whenever I could go see my girl once I was done. Now, a phone call is all I have to look forward to when I leave those damn meetings or finish a match.

Although I am glad that my girl isn't injured like last time, I'm still pretty fuckin' pissed that she's suspended. It's bullshit.

I can't blame Jolene for swinging at Eric, considering the type of shit he tried to say to her. She's not told me the full story, but from what she has said, he was just feeding into Scott's insecurities and making him feel even worse. That shit isn't okay at all, and really, I can't say I wouldn't have tried to deck him if I had been in her place.

Except, if I'd try to hit him, not only would he have been knocked out, I doubt I would've had any punishment for my actions. Eric only suspended Jolene because she's Jolene. He hates her just as much as she hates him.

God, he's such a fucking cunt. It's been almost two months, Eric; when can my girl come back?

However, right now, I'm not at work. I'm with my beautiful babe in the passenger seat of her car, with one arm hanging out of the window and my other hand placed on her upper right thigh. Surprisingly enough, I'm not even being sexual about it - I just want to have some sort of physical contact with her.

After all, my ass has to leave tomorrow evening, even though I only got to Joli's last night. I've got to take advantage of every little moment I get with my babe.

"So, when are you going to tell me where we're heading?" I ask, moving my eyes from the road ahead of us to Jolene. She's a much better sight. "Or do I just not get to know?"

"You'll see when we get there." That's the only reply I receive. Joli has this cute little smile on her lips, and I can tell she's excited about whatever it is that she has in mind.

It's got to be good, but what is it?

I'm sure she's not taking me somewhere to eat, because she made us lunch before we left. Does she have a place she wants to go shopping? Or...?

Really, I'm lost.

"Do I get any hints?" I ask casually, trying to smoothly lead her into telling me something, anything. It doesn't work.

"Not a one." Jolene quickly winks at me before returning her attention to the road. She grabs a cigarette from her carton, which was with her lighter in the cup holder, and pops it into her mouth.

I watch the smoke trail out of her window as we continue on this mysterious adventure. I look away from my babe just long enough to turn the music on the radio up.

You know, I really am lucky to have this woman in my life. She's beautiful, talented, and to top it off, she's got a damn good heart inside of her. Over the past year, she's come so far as a person; moving on from that bastard ex of hers was the best thing Jolene could've done.

I'm glad that I've been able to help her, because God knows she's helped keep me sane. Jolene has brought love into my life, and really, that's not something I knew I needed. I thought I was content being alone, just fucking the shit out of any chick that wanted me.

But you know what? Fun as that life may be, having one woman that loves you with all of her heart means more than all of the one-night stands in the world. I don't ever want to just fuck some chick just for the sake of fucking again. I have Jolene now, and I don't want anyone else.

She's all I'll ever need. Fuck Bischoff for trying to keep my girl home.

We continue on and eventually, Joli pulls into the parking lot of a small shopping center. There's not much here: there's a Chinese restaurant, a tattoo parlor, a thrift store, a nail salon, and a comic store. It looks like there are probably some stores on the other side of the buildings, though, so that's cool.

"So, which of these is it, babe?" I ask Joli, genuinely curious. "You in the mood to get your nails done? Or do you want to pick some comics up?" I mean, I've never known comic books and Jolene Milford to go together, but maybe she wants to branch out?

"Actually," Jolene mutters happily as she digs into her purse, "I'm getting a tattoo." She declares proudly as she pulls a folded piece of paper out, holding it between her thumb and pointer finger.

"Shit, what are you going to get?" I try to lean over and peak at the paper, but Joli quickly hides it against her chest.

"Nope! You don't get to know what it is, either." Joli smiles happily. "You have to wait and see."

I groan as Joli gets out of the car. I follow after her into the tattoo parlor.

"Hey, what's up, guys?" The man behind the counter asks as we walk through the door. "Who's getting inked?"

The place seems nice. For a smaller tattoo shop, there are several people waiting in the lobby. The art on the wall looks damn cool, too.

I'm glad Joli chose a seemingly nice place for her first tattoo.

"I called yesterday. Milford's the name. You said to be here around 2, so here we are." Joli explains.

"Ah, yeah! Okay!" The conversation rushes back to the guy instantly. "Come on back! Sally's been waiting for you."

So the guy leads us over to a small, punk-rock chick with blonde hair that has been dyed neon green at the tips. She's got a full sleeve of tats, and they all look really good.

"Hey! Jolene, right?" Sally, I'm assuming, reaches a hand out to my girl. Joli shakes her hand, of course.

"That's me." Joli replies proudly.

"All right, awesome! I'm Sally." She introduces herself to us, and she gives me a little nod in greeting. I return the gesture. "Just take a seat over here."

Joli sits where she is instructed to, and then she hands the piece of paper over to Sally. "I want this right below my neck on my back, in this general area." My girl moves a hand to her back and runs her fingers across the area between her shoulder blades.

What is she getting?

"Oh, okay!" Sally looks down at the design before running a finger across Joli's back. "So, here?"

"Yeah, exactly!" Joli beams before turning to Sally. "So how do I need to sit for this?"

Sally hums and then replies, "Just turn around in your seat and lean over the back of it. You can give your shirt to your..."

"Boyfriend." I fill the blank in for the girl with a grin. She gives me a smile and then continues talking to my babe.

"Yeah, you can just hand it to your boyfriend and he can hold it for you." Sally finishes. She gives Joli and I space for a moment as she goes to get everything prepared.

Of course my mind goes elsewhere as I watch Joli pull her shirt over her head. I glance down at her breasts only for a quick moment before she smacks me with her damn shirt.

It doesn't hurt, but that's aside the point.

"Kev!" Joli scolds me, but she looks amused. "Go take this and sit over there. I don't want you to see what I'm getting before it's done."

I take Joli's shirt from her and then place a short kiss on her lips. "Okay, okay. I will." I want to give Joli a hard time, but I can tell this means a lot to her. "I'll be right here if you need me, babe."

She gives me a smile before fixing the way she sits on the chair. Just one fuckin' look from this woman is enough to make my heart stop, I guarantee it.

The whole tattoo process only takes about an hour, and although I try my best to see what is being inked on my babe's back, I can't figure it out. Every time I'm about to catch a good glimpse, Joli catches me and I have to look away.

We chat a lot with Sally, and she seems like she's a pretty cool chick. She's got a good sense of humor, and neither Joli nor I are really bored during the whole thing.

Joli handles the pain pretty well, for the most part. There are only a couple of times where it looks like she's really hurting, which is great. I definitely don't like seeing my babe in any kind of discomfort.

"All right, that's it!" Sally declares as soon as she finishes wiping Joli's tattoo off. "It looks pretty damn good." She has to put herself over at least a little. "But, I have to ask, what do the initials stand for?" She then gives a small laugh. "You don't have to tell me if it's too personal, though. I just figured I'd try to check with you."

Before Joli replies, she motions for me to come over at take a look at the tattoo. My eyes scan over it a few times, and I can't stop this huge fuckin' grin from coming onto my face.

h. n. m. w. h. l. is inked right below Joli's neck, and then below that is 4-Life. It's all in our nWo font. I can't believe it.

She got a fuckin' tattoo for all of us. For the Kliq, and for her. I'm speechless.

"Hall, Nash, Milford, Waltman, Hickenbottom, Levesque." Joli tells Sally proudly. "My name, his name," My girl points to me, "and the names of our best friends. The 4-Life proves that matter how much shit we all go through, we'll always have each other's backs."

Sally nods in approval, and by the look on her face I'm guessing it's not often that people come into this little Virginia tattoo parlor and get meaningful tattoos. "I wish my friends cared half as much about me as you care about yours, Jolene."

Joli just smiles.

This group we've created, it's really indestructible. We may have our ups and downs, but at the end of the day, we're all fuckin' family. Joli's tattoo really makes me happy. I can't really put it into words, but it's nice, you know? To know that you've got five other people in the world - no matter how annoying they may be at times - that really give a shit about you.

I love the way Joli laid it all out, too:

Hall, Nash, and Milford, the nWo icons. Hickenbottom and Levesque, the fuckin' Degenerates. And Waltman? He's what pieces the two groups together.

"How'd you get that nice-ass handwriting, babe?" It looks so damn good.

"Paula did it for me." Ah, the mark! Nice gal. "I didn't tell her what it was for. She mimicked our text style pretty well though, huh?"

Fuck, she sure did. It looks like something straight out of our marketing committee.

My girl gets her tat wrapped up and then I help her slip her shirt back on. She winces as soon as her shirt touches her tattoo, but that's to be expected.

"It won't hurt for too much longer." I tell Joli before kissing the top of her head. Her hair is a tad bit messed up, from moving her shirt on and off.

"Fuck, I hope not." Joli mutters as she reaches into her pockets for her wallet. "It wasn't as bad as I thought, but shit, it hurt at times."

"Tattoos are like that." I have to laugh. I glance down at the tattoos on my right arm and grin before placing a hand over Joli's wallet. "Put that up."

Joli's brows furrow and she gives me this adorable look of protest. "What? No!"

"Babe, just put this up." I wink at my girl and then peck her lips. "I've got this."

I begin walking over to the counter while Joli follows after me. When I pull my wallet out of the front pocket of my jeans, she tries to snatch it away from me.

"Kev!" Joli whines. "No! Don't you dare pay for that!"

The guy at the register looks confused, but I slide him the money anyway. He takes it without questioning it and then gives me my change.

"I can't believe you." Joli softly punches my arm as we exit the tattoo parlor. "Why'd you do that?"

"Because I fuckin' love that tattoo, baby, and I love you even more than I love it." I give Joli a smile. "You made a nice choice. The design is killer."

I can tell she wants to protest more, but instead of doing that, Joli takes one of my hands and links it with one of hers. That's my girl.

"Fuck," Joli whines softly as she presses her cheek against my arm, "I'm going to miss you tomorrow. Are you sure you have to go?"

That breaks my heart. I don't want to leave then, but I'll have to. Fuck! Why can't she just come with me?

"Is there anywhere else you want to go, babe?" I ask, trying to change the conversation. Joli frowns and then releases a small sigh.

I love you, Jolene.

"Let's just go for a drive." Joli then perks back up and tosses me the keys. I barely catch them before they hit the ground.

"Anywhere in particular you want to go?"

"Surprise me." She tells me with a grin.

If my babe wants to ride around all day, so be it. I'll go anywhere she wants. I love my loyal little Jolene and I'm going to enjoy all of this time I've got left with her.

As soon as I get back to work, though, I'm having another long talk with Eric Bischoff. I can't handle all of this time away from Joli any longer.

Chapter 68: on a night like this

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"... so, I'll be back later, man. Don't wait up for me."

I don't really get a chance to reply to Kev, because as soon as he finishes talking, he heads out the door of our hotel room. There's this feeling of dread in my stomach as I sit here by myself, because I'm actually worried about how the conversation he's going to have will go.

See, Kev's going to piss Eric off because Joli still isn't allowed to come back. It's been around two months since Joli and Eric got into their little scuffle, and there's been no word of when Joli's suspension is up.

If I were to be honest, I don't really remember the conversation that let to Joli trying to knock Eric out. I remember being there, at least for a little bit of it, but I couldn't tell you what they were arguing about. At some point I left and went into the locker room, the next thing I remember from that day is Kev waking me up and telling me Joli had to leave.

Joli said it was something about Eric shit talking her and Kev, but who knows? I just don't think that's right. I mean, they might have been what happened after I left, but when I was in the room, I feel like they were talking about me.

I was drunk, I know that. I didn't feel good at all. Eric and I were talking and then Joli came in and she and Eric started yelling at each other.

Okay, it was more Joli yelling at Eric, but that's aside the point. He's a pussy compared to her.

Fuck, I really put myself over there, didn't I? If Bischoff is a fuckin' wuss compared to her, then what does that say about? I'm as fuckin' warped by Eric now as I've ever been, and it's the sad truth.

That's it. I need a drink.

I snag a bottle of beer out of the corner of the room before sitting back down on my bed. I pop my drink open, take a long swig, and then realize that I'm going to need more of this to get through the night. So, before I get comfortable, I grab the rest of the six pack and sit it by my bed.

By the time I figure out what I want to do to kill time while Kev is gone, I've finished a beer and a half. I'm not buzzed, really, but I've got a nice little bit of booze in me. It's nice.

As every intelligent drunk man does, I grab the phone and start dialing up a number. Let's see who I can get a hold of at this hour of... I look at the clock.

9:45. Cool.

I try to reach Kid first, but there's no answer on his end. Joli's my next attempt, but she doesn't answer. I'd say she's either asleep or outside, away from her phone.

For whatever reason, I try and phone Shawn, too. God, I fuckin' miss him. It's been a while since I've really talked to him. How's he doing, I wonder?

I guess he's as fucked up as I am. Hell, he's probably even worse.

Paul is the last person I try and call, and thankfully, he actually picks up. He greets me with this gruff, "Hello?" and I fuckin' grin.

It's a lopsided, drunken grin, but a grin nonetheless.

"Paul! Fuck, man, what's up?"

"How much have you had to drink, Scott?" I want to be mad because that's his first question, but I have no right to feel that way.

"Ah, what, one and a half beers?" I swish the remainder of my second beer around in the bottle before taking another drink. "Not too much."

Paul sighs, but I can tell that there's relief in it. Relief mixed with aggravation.

"What's going on tonight, brother? How're you holding up?" Paul asks.

"Ah, I'm okay, man. Just been thinking a lot, you know?" I laugh somewhat nervously. "Kev's left to go bitch at Eric about Joli's suspension. He said he'd be gone a while."

"Oh yeah, she's been gone a while, hasn't she?" Paul says thoughtfully. "She called me like a day or so after it happened and she was pissed as all fuck. She's still out right now?" He's shocked. "Damn."

"It's been a mess, bro." I tell him before taking a long drink of my beer. It's almost completely empty now. "Eric hates her, and she hates him. He doesn't really want her back, I don't think. At the same time, he doesn't want to get rid of her." I shrug, even though he can't see it. "It's shit."

"He's always sounded like a little cunt." Paul scoffs. "I know Joli can be a bit much sometimes, but she never really picks a fight with anyone unless she has a damn good reason. If Bischoff provoked her into trying to smack him, he's had to have said or done a lot of shit to piss her off."

There it goes. That feeling of dread in my stomach is bubbling up again.

"I wish I remembered it, man, but I was way too fucked up." I hate admitting that. "And who knows what the fuck happened that day after I left the room?" I then pause. "That's a real fucked up thing about it. It's her word vs his, and where he's up Ted Turner's ass, his word is automatically more credible."

"It's bullshit, brother. It's complete bullshit. He sounds like he's as big of a bitch as Bret." Paul then adds, "So, what do you remember of that day?"

I tell Paul everything I can, about how I wasn't mentally there and the argument came out of no where. The more I say out loud, the more I begin to realize one big thing.

"It all started because of me." I muttered dryly. I pop open another beer. "Joli's fuckin' suspension goes back to me."

As soon as that realization hits me, my mood goes into the fuckin' toilet. It's my fault.

"Scott, it's not your fault that your company is being led by an incompetent asshole that has some sort of hatred for Jolene." Paul grunts. "This isn't on you."

"Yeah it is, man." I reply after I've downed half of beer number three. "Eric must have been saying shit about me that was probably true, but it pissed Joli off. The fight that got her suspended was started because of me."

"Scott, stop." Paul's trying to level me out, but it's not working.

"Paul, it all goes back to me." I feel like I'm about to start rambling, but I don't care. "Since I came back, I've made her life hell. Her ankle injury happened because I was reckless. I fucked up the spot. I knocked Stevie into her."

"Then," I continue, "I break her heart by kissing her on television in front of the whole goddamned world. There she is, trying to work towards fully giving Kev - my fuckin' best friend - her heart, and I pull that shit on her."

"Scott, just-"

"Right when the wolfpac starts, I get fucked up again. I go away for a while and get better." I laugh. "Then, like always, I soon crash again. Now, here we are in 1999-"

"Scott-"

"-and I've gotten her suspended from the company! I was being shitty and got called on it, and Joli-"

"Scott!" It's not until Paul snaps at me that I close my mouth. "Jesus fucking Christ, stop!"

This might be the angriest Paul has ever been at me, at least that I've known. Or maybe he's not angry, and he just wants me to shut up?

I don't know.

When Paul realizes that I'm going to let him speak, he does just that.

"There are a lot of things that I know about Jolene Milford, Scott." His tone has softened drastically. "I know she likes the scent of peaches. I know she drives like a fuckin' 90 year old woman. I know that she is competitive as hell at board games, especially when it's late at night and she's tired and cranky. I'm fairly certain that romance movies are her guilty pleasure, because I pay attention to what's playing in the background when she calls me."

This stupid, loving smile comes to my lips as Paul talks about Jolene. I love her. I always will.

"She'd also risk her life for a cigarette, just because she doesn't want to go longer without a smoke than she has to." Paul continues. "But, you want to know the one thing that I'm the most certain of when it comes to Jolene? The one thing that I swear by the Kliq tattoo on her neck is true?"

Goddamn, I want to see her ink. She cares too much for us. I don't deserve her.

"What is that, man?" I ask, when I realize Paul has been waiting for me to say anything. I guess he thought I might've ended the call or something.

"I know that she would never once blame you for any of the shit that has happened to her." Paul's words hit me with a slap of reality like a damn bus. "She'd rather die than blame you for her injury or her suspension."

We sit here in silence for a moment, because I don't know what to say. He's right, he has to be. Jolene's too kind and caring and loving and perfect to put the blame on me.

"She doesn't blame me," I say quietly, "but she should. It's all my fault."

"It's not, Scott." Paul sighs heavily. "It's really not. I know that's hard to see, but you haven't fucked her life up. Jolene does love you, though I can't say how or in what way anymore. There's nothing in this messed-up world that could make her hate you. She accepts everything that has happened, and she takes responsibility for her fight with Bischoff."

"... You always make sense, even when I don't want you to." I chuckle softly before downing the rest of my beer. "Fuck you, man." I don't mean that in a mean way, and Paul knows that because he laughs as well.

"I'm glad to know that I'm as loved as ever." Paul jokes. I grin even wider.

Paul and I talk for about fifteen minutes longer before he ends the call, saying that he's got some stuff to take care of before he goes to bed. He's probably going to fuck his girl, but that's okay. I'm happy for him.

Once Paul and I end our call, I start drinking the last of the six-pack of beer I brought to the table. My mind is swirling tonight, even more than usual. I hate that I'm thinking so much about Joli, but it's hard not to on a night like this.

I know she doesn't hate me or blame me or have any ill wishes for me, but I truly hate that I've been so bad for her. Even though none of it has been intentional, I've put her through so much shit and that kills me every day.

All I've ever wanted is her happiness.

By the time Kev comes back into the room, I'm drifting off into sleep. I'm not completely there yet, but I'm also not going to move and roll around and talk to Kev. We can catch up in the morning.

Besides, I'd really just rather go to sleep right now. My head is killing me, and so is my heart. Some of what Paul said fuckin' stung, but I know he's right.

Kev rummages around for a couple of minutes before settling down on his bed. I hear him crack open a beer before dialing up someone on the phone.

I'm sure it's Joli.

The last thing I hear before I finally drift off into sleep sends me to bed a lot happier than I had been.

"Babe? I talked to Bischoff. Get your sweet little ass on a plane first thing in the morning; you're making your return on Nitro tomorrow."

Chapter 69: wcw's decline

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

On a day where everything could easily go wrong, knock on wood, it seems like everything is actually going right.

Well, I partially retract that statement. Everything is going about as right at it could on a Monday night when you're returning on Nitro after being gone for a couple of months. So basically, for me things are going well, but everything else is pretty much a clusterfuck.

After stepping back for a bit, coming back to this place has made me realize how chaotic WCW has become. It hurts me, in a way, because I remember when WCW wasn't like this. Hell, even returning from my ankle injury didn't make me feel like this. Back then, everything was okay.

I love my job. I love some of my coworkers. My employers? Well, I like Ted Turner's money. I'm glad that I'm back, because being on the road with Kev and Scott and Dally and Kim is damn sure better than sitting around the house by myself.

Really, I'd say it has a lot to do with Eric. That's not just me being biased, either, because it seems like this place has been overrun by pricks with a similar attitude to Bischoff. If you kiss his ass, you're sailing high; but, if you're like me and don't put up with his shit, it's harder for you. I don't want to say I'm at the top of Eric's shit list, but I'd say that's a good assumption.

Anyway, it just seems like Nitro is so much less organized now than it used to be. It's just a lot of people bitching and trying to get themselves over to everyone around them. There's not enough room for all of this bullshit.

I've had a damn nice day though, all of the crazy backstage antics aside. I've not seen Eric once, which is always the biggest blessing of all. After Kev chewed him out last night, I guess he really doesn't want to test his luck. Thanks, babe!

In fact, I've barely had to deal with anyone today. I met up with Dallas at the airport, since Kev had a meeting, and we've spent most of the day together. Kim's been written off television for the week, which has sucked, but spending some quality time with my big brother is always nice.

Once Kev finished his shit up, we went on a hunt for Scott. He was just sitting in the locker room, lacing his boots. It was the first time I've seen Scott since my suspension, and he greeted me with open arms.

If only for a brief moment, I felt as though the old, normal Scott was there with me. He seemed to be doing very well, and I believe he was. It made my heart flutter to hug him and laugh with him and show him my tattoo.

I'm... I'm always going to love Scott, aren't I? Goddammit.

There's not a part of me that wishes I weren't with Kev or that things had played out differently for me and my love. Kevin Nash is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I couldn't imagine myself being with anyone but him.

At the same time, I feel as though I'll never be able to completely shake the love I once had for Scott. It stays in the back of my heart, where it belongs, until something like this happens and it returns to the front.

Is it one of those situations where, even when you're with your true love, you never forget the feelings you had for your first love? Who knows?

We hang around with Scott for a while and then I head off to change into my gear for the evening. That's where I find myself currently, in front of a mirror in the women's dressing room by myself.

I mean, there are other ladies in here, but I’m not interested in them. I miss my Kimmy.

Tonight, I'm wearing a pair of nice black jeans and one of our new wolfpac tees. I have it cut into a v-neck, and I've also got one of my nice, spiked bracelets on.

It's nothing fancy, but I look good in it. That's all that matters.

After I've fixed my hair and makeup and made sure that everything with my attire is in order, I head on out of the dressing room. I spot a long, dark-haired man walking towards me and I suddenly realize that all of my good luck has expired.

What does Bret motherfuckin' Hart want with me?

"I see you've made it back to work, Milford." I hate the way my name sounds coming from his bitchy mouth. "Are you done picking fights with your supervisors?"

"I'm really not in the mood for this bullshit today, Hart." I tell him bluntly. "Let's just part ways and act like we never even saw each other."

If only it could be that simple.

I must've forgotten that Bret's a tactician. Everything he does has to be complicated.

"This company is running straight into the ground, missy, and I think we all know whose fault it is." Bret's eyes narrow as he stares at me. He stays quiet for a moment, waiting for me to respond.

"Let me guess..." I hum mockingly, just drawing it out to aggravate him. "It's all because of me and the Kliq, isn't it?!" I exclaim in fake excitement, like I've made some profound discovery. "We've fucked up the business, haven't we?"

Needless to say, Bret isn't as amused as I am.

"While you are right about that, I'm not here to blame the whole Kliq for WCW's decline." Thats an actual surprise. "I'm actually just here to blame two of them, who I feel are both equally to blame."

Ah, I get it! Kev and Scott.

"Bret, if you have a problem with Kevin and Scott, that's something you need to take up with them." I grin at the little shit. "I'm not their agent. I'm not their representative."

He goes to open his mouth to protest me, and I turn around on my heel. As I go to walk off, Bret grabs my wrist, right above my bracelet.

Son of a bitch. What's with these motherfuckers trying my patience in this company?

"Bret." The amusement in my voice is gone. "Let me go."

"I just want to talk." Bret stresses.

"And I don't want to." I grunt in annoyance. I'm still not even facing him.

"Jolene-"

I rip my arm out of his hold (which wasn't difficult to do, because he wasn't trying that hard to keep me there) and then head off down the hall. I can hear Bret yelling behind me, but honestly, I don't care.

Wait, did he just say something about getting me back for this? What a joke! I'm not afraid of him just because he's one of Eric's bitches.

It doesn't take me long to find Kev and Scott after I leave Bret to simmer in his grievances. My babe greets me with a soft kiss on the top of my head and an arm around my waist.

"Look at my girl, making our colors look a million times hotter as usual." Kev grins as his eyes scan over my body.

I love him so much.

"You look like you've got something on your mind, Joli." Scott comments as I reach into my pockets and pull out my cigarette carton and my lighter. "What's up?"

"Ah, you know, the usual WCW bullshit." I tell them nonchalantly. I pull a cigarette out of my carton and stick it behind my ear before sliding it (the carton) back into my pocket. 

"Eric?" Kev asks, hugging me close. The protective tone in his voice makes me swoon.

"No." I then have to laugh. "Better." I smirk. "Bret-ter."

"Goddamn." Kev scoffs. "What'd he want with you?"

"He was trying to bitch at me because the company is going downhill." I shrug. "He started trying to say something about the two of you, but I told him to fuck off and left."

"That'd be just like Bret to try and get you suspended again as soon as you get back." Scott shakes his head.

"I'm not worried about it. I knew I'd end up arguing with him, so I left before it got to that point." As much as I would have loved to school Bret, I don't want to deal with anymore shit. Not on the day of my return.

"The company isn't going completely downhill yet." Kev huffs. "We're having our problems, yeah, but people like Bret are as much to fuckin' blame as anyone."

You know who is really to blame for WCW's decline?

Eric. Greedy ass Eric, who puts his paycheck before the company.

"We'll find a way to get out of this slump that we're in, because we always do." I tell them confidently. "We've been at the bottom of the fuckin' barrel before, and we've managed to float back up each and every time."

There's no way that WCW is going anywhere, even with all of the bullshit that's going on in it. Sure, we've been getting our asses handed to us as far as ratings go for basically the past year, but it's nothing that will seal our fate.

What would the professional wrestling industry be without us? There'd be the WWF and ECW, and let's face it, ECW is far more likely to close its doors than we are. I enjoy the shit that Paul E. is doing over there, but the hardcore wrestling style isn't for everyone.

"Hopefully that's the case." Scott doesn't sound as certain as I am. "I'd really hate to lose the paychecks from this place."

"I'm trying everything I can with this company, but who the fuck knows what the future holds?" Kev shrugs. I can tell that he doesn't want to take any of the heat for this, and I don't blame him. My babe does his damnedest.

I rub Kev's lower back and give him a smile. "I guess we'll just have to see how everything goes." At this point, I look over at the clock. It's not too long until Nitro starts. "Let's scoot outside for a little bit. I need a smoke before the show."

We find the nearest exit and head outside. I light my cigarette up as soon as we're out the door.

Goddamn, it's nice to smoke after seeing Bret for a couple of minutes.

The nice, early Spring air cools us down as we stand outside. It’s the perfect amount of cold. I love it.

"I wish you had more than just a backstage segment for your return, Joli." Scott comments as he props himself up against the nearby wall. He's got one leg raised up and his boot is pressed flat against the wall.

"It's something." I reply as I exhale a cloud of smoke to the side and away from my boys. "I'm just really glad that I'm back. Sitting around the house sucks, you know?"

"Being out of action is the worst." Kev agrees. He moves behind me and starts rubbing my shoulders, but I can't help but feel as though he's using it as a way to look down my shirt.

I mean, I'm not going to stop him, but I know his intentions. Besides, his touch is relaxing. I slump my shoulders under his touch, allowing him to work out any little kinks or knots he finds.

"Especially when it's not because of an injury." Scott adds. I see this glimmer of pain in his dulled eyes for just a moment before it's gone.

Ow.

"At least you were able to catch up on your soaps though, babe." Kev comes in with the save. He teasingly pinches my side, and I jump in surprise.

I bump my hip back against Kev, but naturally, he takes the opportunity to thrust back at me. I roll my eyes and return to the conversation. "The sad thing is, I don't think that there has been that much of a progression in the main story since I was able to watch them religiously a couple of years ago."

"That's how those things work." Scott chuckles. He shakes his head playfully at me, saying, "Crazy lil' Joli and her soap operas."

"I have to have something to keep me busy." I grin, then take a long drag on my cigarette.

Even for all of its faults, I love WCW. It's going downhill, sure, but not for long. I know it.

I soon finish my smoke and by the time we head back in, it's basically time for Nitro to start. The familiar excitement of the show begins to course through my veins as people rush by us, trying to make their final preparations for the night.

It's good to be back yet again.

Chapter 70: truly happy

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

If you had asked me three years ago if I knew what true happiness was, I would have been lying to you if I had said 'yes.' At this stage in my life, I'm happier than I've ever been.

I have the most beautiful woman in this entire world as my girl, and she loves me unconditionally. I didn't know that it was possible to care for someone as much as I care for her. There's not a moment that I spend with her that I don't cherish, even when whatever fuckin' situation we're in is shit.

It's hard to believe that Joli and I have only been together for a little over a year, because really, it feels like we've been together much longer than that. Honestly, at this point, everything since my return to WCW blends together. If I think of something that has happened between '96 and now, I just assume that Joli and I were together.

This time has flown by, too. Although everything runs together, at the same time, it feels like it was only yesterday that I told her I loved her for the first time. Now, it's something I tell her several times a day.

Love is crazy, isn't it? It takes over your life, but at the same time, I'm not sure I'd have it any other way. Now that I've got Joli, I never want to let her go.

Once you've seen heaven, after all, why would you return to your meager world outside of it? In my case, Joli is my heaven; life without her at this point would be hell.

I guess my love for her is also what's changed me a bit. It's not been a bad thing, not by any means. I know that I've helped her grow as a person, but goddamn, she's done the same thing for me.

It's like I've got some sort of purpose now. It's not all about raking in dough, getting drunk with the boys, and taking care of a wrestling company that would literally be lost without me; life is more than that now.

Fuck, you see this shit? This is also what I'm talking about.

I'm a nearly forty year old man and I'm talking about love like a teenager. Worst of all, it doesn't bother me that much. I'm not going to get all mushy about this to the guys, but, fuck, I don't know, I guess I'm just truly happy with my life now.

Having someone you can rely on and give all your love to is fuckin' great, I'll leave it at that.

Right now, my ass is walking through this huge fuckin' mall in Joli's city of Norfolk with countless shopping bags hanging off of my arms. It's got to be a funny sight to anyone that passes by.

I mean, you've got me, an almost seven foot tall brute, who is being led around by a tiny, 5 foot 3 woman who, although she's hotter than hell, doesn't look all that intimidating when she's as happy as she is right now. I mean, Joli can be damn scary when she wants to be, but right now, she's peaceful.

I really am whipped.

"Oh, fuck, should we go there too, babe?" Joli nudges me with her elbow, nodding towards some sort of damn good smell. I recognize the store as soon as I read it's sign.

Bath & Body Works.

"I don't know, do you need to go in there?" I ask her with a shrug. "Do you need more lotion or any of that stuff?"

"I mean, not necessarily, but there's certain shit that a girl can never have enough of." Joli tells me as she thoughtfully stares at the store. She's weighing her options, I can tell.

"In that case, wouldn't it be better to go in there?" It makes sense to me. "Might as well stock up while we're here, right?"

"That would probably be a good idea." Joli hums to herself. She looks over at the bags that I'm carrying, and I can't help but wonder how she keeps up with everything that she's bought.

Women are crazy. I don't understand how anyone can shop this much and manage to remember every little bit of it.

I can't even keep up with which groceries I buy and which ones I don't.

"Okay," Joli eventually decides, "let's go."

She leads me into the bath and body store and as soon as we step in the doors, I'm nearly knocked out by the stench. It's not a bad smell, it's just a big mixture of different perfumes and lotions. It's strong.

"Hey there guys!" The perky woman at the door greets us. "How can we help you today?"

"I'm just here to grab a few things. I'm good, thank you." My Joli can be so awkward around new people. She walks off towards one of the walls and starts sniffing all kinds of bottles and shit, leaving me and the random woman alone.

"I take it this isn't your forte?" She asks, like it wasn't fuckin' obvious.

"I don't know a single thing about any of this." I tell the woman with a shrug as I watch my girl at work. "She usually does this type of thing with her best friend, but today I guess it's my turn."

I figure it's mainly because Kimberly is busy and Joli's had the urge to go on a big shopping trip. It's fine with me, though. If she wants to drag me around all day, I'll gladly let her.

"How long have the two of you been together?" I look over at the woman, who is smiling at me. "If you don't mind me asking."

"What, about fourteen months now?" I try to do the math in my head. "Our anniversary was in February."

"This type of thing means a lot to girls." Does it? "As fun as it is to run around a store with your best girlfriend, there's something about going out with the guy you love that is just super special."

"Huh. I guess that's something I never thought about." I admit to this stranger. "I just kind of go where she leads me, you know?"

"Sometimes it's better that way." I'm not sure what she means by that, but I don't get a chance to put much thought into it. Joli waves me over, and I give a small nod in farewell to the worker before going to my babe.

"Does this smell funky to you?" Joli asks as she raises a small piece of paper up to my nose. I gag as soon as the scent hits my nostrils.

"What the fuck?" I ask after I cough. "What is that?"

"Something I'm not buying." The little amused smile on Joli's face melts my fuckin' heart. She's so cute. "Thanks for the feedback, babe."

I have to scoot some of the bags up higher on my arm so that I can rub my wrist across my nose. Goddamn, that shit stunk.

"What about the peach shit you always get?" I'm looking around for it as I talk. "I like that a lot."

"So do I." Joli raises up a basket that she had set on the counter. It's filled with the familiar peach perfume bottles that I've seen so many times. "I'm trying to find something for Kimmy and Paula."

"Ah." I nod in understanding. My girl is so thoughtful.

"Oh! By the way, we're meeting up with Paula next month, okay?" Joli tells me nonchalantly as she starts sniffing other bottles of perfumes. "She wants to hang out with us for a little bit. She's bringing her daughter, too. I don't know if her husband is going to be free or not."

"The question is, are we going to be free, babe?" I don't want to sound like a party pooper, because I'd love to hang out with Joli's friend.

"We will be." Joli sounds completely certain. She sprays another perfume on a piece of paper and holds it up for me to sniff. "What about this one?"

"That one is a hell of a lot better." I actually don't hate that one. "Smells like something Kim would be into."

"I thought so, too." Joli grins victoriously as she picks up one of the bottles and drops it into her basket.

"How do you know we're going to be free?" I press further.

"I have my ways." Joli winks at me before continuing her search for sweet scents.

I'm assuming that she means she's going to bitch at Eric if he tries to make us work that day. If this means that much to Joli, I'd like to see him try to stop us.

Joli spends the next few minutes going through half of the bottles of perfume in the store. She finally settles on some sort of tropical mix for Paula and then she moves on to the lotions and candles.

By the time Joli is done, she's filled up two of the shopping baskets. I'm not sure how much of it is for her and how much of it is for Kimberly and Paula. There's all kinds of stuff in there that I don't know the purpose of, but she understands it, so I guess that's all that matters.

"Where to next, babe?" I ask as we exit the Bath & Body works. The bags on my arms aren't too heavy to carry, but I wouldn't be opposed to sitting them down.

"I need a smoke." As Joli says this, she's already reaching into her purse and pulling out her carton of cigarettes. She's looking around as she pulls a single cigarette out, trying to find the nearest exit.

"You ready to go? Or do you want to do some more shopping?" Really, it doesn't matter to me. If she wants to stay out all damn day just to walk around this mall, I'm cool with it.

"I think I'm good." Joli doesn't sound completely convinced. "I'm getting hungry, though, so I think we should go get something to eat next anyway."

"Are there any other places in the city that you want to hit up?" We're walking towards an exit now, and I just know that we're going to have to walk halfway around this mall to get back to the car.

Joli lights up her cigarette when she only has only one foot out the door, and I just shake my head at her. My girl doesn't give a fuck if she gets in trouble or not, though I highly doubt anyone is going to say anything to us anyway.

"Ask me after we eat." Joli says thoughtfully after she exhales some smoke. I can tell she's trying to go over some checklist in her mind; surely she can't have that much more to get, if there's anything at all she needs.

It takes us a while to get to the car, because, as I had assumed, the exit we leave from is no where near the vehicle. Plus, Joli's walking extra slow, because she wants to enjoy her cigarette.

I'm glad that the late April air isn't too hot or too cool. I can feel my hair sticking to the back of my neck and my shoulders though, and that's a little annoying.

At the car, I pile Joli's bags into the trunk before picking her up into my arms. She lets out this little squeak as I lift her off the ground, because I grab her from behind and she hadn't been paying me the least bit of attention.

She'd just put a cigarette out, after all.

"Where do you want to eat, babe?" I whisper into Joli's ear before nibbling on it softly. I can feel the chills rush down her arms.

"Let me go!" Joli giggles as she pushes my arms down. "I can't even see you, asshole."

Although she calls me an asshole, there's still this sweet, loving tone in Joli's voice. That's my girl, alright.

I hug Joli close to me for just a quick second before placing her back on the ground. She automatically turns around and then grabs the collar of my tank top, so that she can pull me down for a kiss.

Or rather, she tugs on my shirt and I know what she wants me to do. Whatever.

"Asian buffet?" Joli asks with wide eyes after we kiss.

"That's cool with me, babe." It really doesn't matter to me.

As I watch Joli nod and then rush over to the passenger seat, I can't keep this stupid ass grin from plastering itself on my face.

Yep, this is what happiness is. There's nothing in this fuckin' galaxy that could make me happier than Jolene.

Chapter 71: like responsible adults

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

If there's one thing I can say for the current World Championship Wrestling, it's that there is never a dull moment around this damn place. At any given time, there's some sort of shit happening and if you're interested, you can watch some crazy drama unfold. Unfortunately, I don't really care enough to sit back and watch everyone else's lives fall into the shitter.

I'm sitting here with a beer in one hand and an apple in the other, mindlessly watching the news on the television in catering. We've got a show tonight, but I'll be fine. I always am.

Of course, as soon as I take my second drink of my beer, Joli tries to take it from me. I hold it out of her reach, and she pouts at me.

Dammit Joli, don't look at me like that.

"Scott, just give me the beer. You don't need that shit." Joli shakes her head and stares back at me with this pitiful look in her eyes. It hurts.

"I promise I'm okay. One little beer before the show isn't going to fuck me up." I tell her, partially saying the truth. It's not going to fuck me up, and I'm as okay as I always am nowadays.

"Are you sure about that?" Joli's eyes narrow, and she's trying her best to read me. I can't even read myself, sweetheart. You're wasting your time.

"I'm sure." I then take a large bite out of my apple. As I turn my gaze from Joli back to the television, I catch Kev watching me out of the corner of his eye.

I know they're both worried about me, and really, they have every reason to be. I've not given them any reason to not worry about me, after all. The past however fuckin' long it's been, I've been nothing but trouble to Kev and Joli.

But, that's neither here nor there. I'm just trying to enjoy a drink before the show.

However, before Kev and Joli have a chance to talk to me more about my drinking problem, a cold chill sweeps across the room. I'd have thought it was impossible, seeing as how we're no where near any outside air, but it happens.

Bret's cold h(e)art must be changing the temperature.

"There you are." Bret mutters as he makes his way over to the table we're sitting at. As I hide my beer under the table, I can hear Joli groan as Bret takes a seat across from her. "I've been trying to find the three of you all damn day."

"What for?" I can just hear Kev's aggravation in his voice, but he's trying to be mature about it.

"Well, I tried to have this conversation with just Jolene the other day," Bret glares at Joli for a second before turning his head as she raises a middle finger, "but she instructed me to speak to the two of you. I've put a lot of thought into what I want to say, and I almost want to apologize for the brash way I acted the other day."

"Really?" Joli smirks smugly.

"Almost." Bret reiterates. Joli's smirk drops to a frown.

"Okay, so what is it that you want to talk to us about?" I ask before taking a ridiculously loud bite of my apple.

What? I'm not going to make this easy for him.

"I've got some problems with you, and I'd like to settle this like responsible adults." Bret's voice is so monotone and boring, I swear, it's going to put me to sleep.

"There's nothing to discuss." Kev tells Bret bluntly. Joli snickers. "You don't like us and you've never liked us. We've 'killed the business' and 'slaughtered kayfabe.' Whatever, I don't care. You'll never like us no matter what we do."

Bret rolls his eyes, obviously frustrated by Kev's response. He places his hands down on the table and begins looking between me and Kev. "I've got a lot to say and I'd appreciate if the three of you could stop being assholes for five minutes and just listen to me."

Kev, Joli, and I all exchange amused glances. Bret's a fuckin' handful.

"Okay, shoot." Kev eventually speaks up, and I know he's just wanting to get Bret off our cases. I don't blame him.

"WCW is running into the ground, and it shouldn't be this way." Bret begins. "I busted my damn ass to make it to this company, and I have given it my all since arriving here. Might I remind you that your so-called friend, Shawn Michaels, fucked me over right at the end of my run in the WWF. I can't ever go back there again, thanks to him. I don't want to go back to Vince."

How could we forget about Survivor Series '97, when you're always bitching about it?

"So, WCW is all I have. Wrestling is my life and my passion, and I'm not going to give it up." Bret continues. He's begun to give us this stern glare, and I know that Joli is struggling to not laugh at him, because I'm having a hard time not doing that myself. "There's no amount of bullshit that you Kliq boys-" He pauses to look at Joli, "and girl can do to stop me."

"We don't want to ruin your career." I have to laugh as I talk. "What the fuck? You think we don't have bigger concerns and worries?"

"Honestly, in order to try and ruin your career, we'd have to give a shit about you first." Joli chimes in, backing me up. "I mean, you're fun to mess with, but I think Shawn already took care of ending your career for us. You haven't really been the same since Montreal, have you?" The nonchalant way in which she says this makes me choke on my apple.

I swear, you can hear a pen drop at this moment. Joli's sick burn leaves Bret flustered for a few seconds, though that's no surprise. Joli hit him hard with her words.

"In all honesty, I wish you would leave this conversation, Milford. My career is not over, and it will never be over, regardless of what you group of jerks want to happen." I think this might be the angriest that I've ever heard Bret. Huh.

Kev wraps an arm around Joli's shoulder and pulls her in close to his side. He places a proud kiss on the side of her head before asking Bret, "Is this all you came to bitch at us about? Your struggling career?"

"The point of the matter is that the three of you are ruining this company." He's switching his focus back to this, I see, because he wasn't getting anywhere complaining about his career. "You like to act like you've been the saving graces for WCW, but you haven't. Ever since the two of you," Bret points to both me and Kev, "returned, you've been killing it."

"Uh-huh..." I scoff, "Yeah, okay. And that's why our returns sparked WCW's lead over the WWF in the ratings war, right?" I give him a grin. "That's why we've been the most entertaining part of the show since '96, right?"'

"The only reason that you're entertaining anymore, Hall, is because the world loves to make fun of a stumbling drunk." Bret's words hit me like a punch. "You have the talent to be one of the best performers in the business, but time after time you let your personal demons spill over into your professional career."

"Like your bitter little ass has any room to talk about anyone else!" Joli's quick to jump to my defense. "Who the fuck do you-"

"Ah, and here we have the angry bitch who is supposed to help lead the New World Order, but is too busy sleeping her way to the top and fighting with management to worry about the state of the company." This motherfucker!

"You'd better shut your fuckin' mouth, Hart," Kev's voice is colder than the chill Bret brought in. "before I shut it for you."

"Now I've gone and pissed off our oh-so-important booker," Bret scoffs, "so I guess any kind of push I could hope for is gone. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened anyway, considering a toddler could run the show better than you." Bret then smirks, "Hell, a toddler can just run better than you. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself again, Nash."

Bret's resorted to petty insults because he can't take any of the fuckin' blame for his own actions, but I'm still pissed about it. He has no fuckin' right to talk to us this way.

I lean over the table and shove Bret's shoulder while Kev grabs the collar of his shirt. Joli's sitting back, but I can see the anger in her pretty green eyes. And Bret? He's not phased.

"All you're trying to do is get reactions from us, and I'm tired of it. Go take your complaints and march your bony little ass to Bischoff's office and have Daddy Eric change your big boy diaper." Kevin pulls Bret close for just a moment before shoving him back. Bret nearly falls out of his damn seat.

"I should have known that you three wouldn't care to listen." Bret slams his hands down on the table as he pushes himself up. His glaring eyes scan across all three of us once more before he turns back to Kev. "I am going to make my problems known. I thought that we could settle this like adults, but it appears you'd rather be children."

"See you later, Bretty-boy." Joli whistles as she waves him off with her middle finger. Goddamn, how I could I not love this woman? "Have fun sucking your Daddy Eric's cock while you're in there!"

Bret just rolls his eyes and walks out, like she didn't say anything at all. As soon as he's gone, Joli slides down into her seat with a sigh and I grab my beer from under the table.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I should have thrown my apple core at Bret. Shit.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love your comebacks, babe?" Kev gives Joli a grin as he bumps her with his elbow. "You're fuckin' brutal."

"I try my best." Joli giggles. "Some people are just easy to shit on."

I chug the rest of my beer while they continue to talk about Bret, burying him to the depths of hell where he belongs. He and Eric really are a lot alike in the fact that they have to put others down to build themselves up.

Really, is it any wonder that our company is struggling? I don't see how we're the ones to blame for it when there are people like Eric and shit, Vince Russo, in our hierarchy.

We're doomed.

When it comes time for us to start getting ready for the show, we all three head on out towards our locker room. I'm honestly just looking forward to grabbing another beer, but I'm not going to say that around Joli. I don't want to hurt her anymore than I already have.

Halfway to our locker room, though, Kimberly stops us. She's as upbeat and vibrant as usual, which makes me happy. WCW has been fucking her and Dallas both over, but she's not letting it get her down.

Kim's a hell of a lot stronger than I am.

"Hey Kim!" Joli greets her girl ecstatically. "What's up?"

"I just came to get you so that we can get ready together." Kim smiles. She links one of her arms with Joli's and pulls her away from Kev. "Sorry, Kev. I'm taking her again."

At least now Joli won't have to see me drink.

"That's fine with me." Kev places a quick kiss on Joli's lips. "You girls have fun."

"We will." Joli grins up at Kev before turning back to Kim.

"You ready for that photo shoot tomorrow?" Kim asks as they begin to walk away. It's hard not to hear them.

"Photo shoot?" Joli echoes. "What photo shoot?"

"Jolene, oh my God!" Kimberly exclaims. "The one that we're doing for the summer."

"Ah, yeah, right..." Joli is completely lost, but so am I.

"So is Joli doing the ladies' shoot again this year?" I ask Kev as we resume our walk. "It's been since..."

"'95 was the last one she did." Kev mutters thoughtfully. "Sounds like one of those things Kim either forgot to tell her, or she told my babe when she was drunk."

It's weird, because Joli has never cared for our sexy photo shoots. She's so damn proud of herself and her body but she's never seen a use for the pictures. She'll do them, but unless her opinion has changed, they're just not her cup of tea.

"I'd say it's probably the first option there. Kim's been busy." Kev nods in agreement.

"You know how those two are. They chat so much I'd be surprised if they could keep up with everything they tell each other." Kev chuckles. "Girls are crazy."

"That they are, brother. That they are."

Chapter 72: like a hero

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

There are several things that you learn early on in the business of professional wrestling: Showbiz is difficult and certainly not for everyone; The fans aren't always going to react to you; Unless you're very damn over, selling merch can be hard; Some people are faker than their characters; But, most importantly, if you piss someone off enough, they'll find a way to get back at you.

Or, in this case, they'll find a way to use you to try and fix their mistakes.

That's how I wound up here, participating in this bikini photo shoot for WCW. I believe that when I pissed Eric off - and then Kev crawled down his throat to get me un-suspended - he tried his damnedest to find a way to use me to solve his problems.

The problem in this case is that WCW is going under and we need money. The solution? Throw me in a swimsuit and have me model with the rest of the girls in hopes that we can sell a few magazines or whatever the fuck we toss these pictures in.

I just can't figure out if Eric thought this would bother me or not. I'm obviously very confident in my appearance, and while these aren't my favorite things to do, I have no problem doing them. For as much as he and Bret love to call me a slut, I would think Eric would know that.

Then again, I don't doubt that this is Eric's way of 'letting me know' that I'm no more than an a piece of ass to the company. I know that's all he thinks of me, and it's all he ever will. I don't care if he likes me or not, I just wish he'd fuck off and let me do my damn job without him trying to stay in my way.

As far as today goes, though, I don't think I can complain all that much. I mean, I'm at the beach with Kim and we both look damn hot. Kev and Dally are here, too, but they're at the shack on the other end of the beach.

It's kind of ironic, if you think about it. We're doing this photo shoot to make money, but I know the company shelled out a pretty penny to block off the beach like this.

"... Okay, Jolene, scoot over just a little bit!" I follow every instruction from the photographer. He seems like a nice enough guy; or, maybe he's just happy that he gets see beautiful, scantily-clad ladies all day? "That's it! Smirk for me."

The flash of the camera is annoying, but this hasn't been too bad. I think these pictures of me will turn out very well.

"All right, and one more like that. Wink, and pose and- Ah! Perfect!" The man beams as he scoots out from behind of his camera. He motions me over to him with one hand and gives me a grin. "Okay, Miss Milford, I think we're done for the day. Tell the Nitro Girls to send someone out here, so that they can go next."

"Sounds good." I pat the guy on the back as I pass by him. I don't go far, since I'm only going to the other girls. They're all in a different shack from the one where Kev and Dally are, one that is close by where we're taking our pics. "They're ready for the next one."

Seeing as she's the leader of the Nitro Girls, Kim picks one of the chicks and sends her on her way. I figure Kim will go last, because she's a hell of a lot nicer than I am and she'll let everyone go before her.

Instead of heading back out to my babe and my brother, I take a seat beside of Kimmy at the picnic table that she's sitting at. There are two other ladies across the table from us, and honestly, I barely know their names; they've been with the Nitro Girls since they formed, too. I'm so out of touch with the women of the company that it's sad.

In my 'slutty' defense, I don't keep up with the men, either. At this point in my career, I try to just stick to the people that I know won't fuck me over. Everyone else is just a nameless face, more or less.

"How'd it go?" Kim asks me with a smile. "Was it as boring as it always is for you?"

I shrug before I reply to my sister, "Ah, you know it was. I don't know why you do so many of these things." I give Kim a teasing grin.

"I like it!" She laughs. "There's just something fun about modeling and getting your picture taken like that."

"I'm surprised you've not done more photo shoots, Jolene." The girl whose gimmick name is Fyre comments. "You've not got anything to be ashamed of."

"You'd fit in with us." The other Nitro Girl at the table, known (at least to me) as Chae, adds, "You've been one of the hotter chicks on the roster forever. You should be proud."

"I am proud of myself," I tell them nonchalantly,  "I just don't really see much of a point in these things. I know I'm hot."

"There's that Milford ego we all know and love." Kim playfully bumps me with her elbow. I shake my head at her. "In her defense, I've never known Joli to jump at the opportunity for something like this. She sort of goes with the flow."

"Anymore, I just don't like getting out and doing things for the company." I admit truthfully. "I love WCW with my whole heart, but there's a lot of shit going on in it right now."

"You're a no-nonsense gal, Jolene. I've always thought that was cool about you." Chae smirks. "There aren't many people around here that have the kind of nerve that you do."

"She doesn't take shit from anyone." Kim proudly slings an arm around my shoulders. "I told you guys that Joli is great."

It feels weird to be put over like, especially when I've never really talked to Chae or Fyre before. Huh.

"So, what actually happened between you and Bischoff?" Fyre deviously leans in across the table. Her chest is hovering just above it, and I bet her tits would make a big 'thud' if they landed on it. "Did you really punch his lights out?"

"Is that the story going around?" I ask Kim with a grin. "Because maybe I should keep that up. I like the sound of it."

"The first person that was on the scene was Russo." Kim informs me. She's the only person I've told everything about it to, and it sounds like she’s done a little digging into it on her own. "He's the one that called for Randy, probably because he knows that you would have tried to fight him, too, if he had attempted to restrain you." That's likely true. Russo is a tool. "So, all accounts of the story have come from Eric and Russo."

"Ah." I nod in understanding. "I've probably been called every name in the book then, haven't I?"

The looks on Chae and Fyre's faces tell me that is most certainly the case. I can't help but erupt into laughter.

"The real story behind my fight with Eric, if you can call it that, is simple." I begin. I'm not going to tell them the full story, because I don't want to bury Scott in any way, especially not to people I don't know very well. "He was running his mouth and he wouldn't stop. I lunged at him, but I never touched him."

"Damn." Fyre frowns as she slinks back in her seat. "I was kind of hoping that you'd actually gotten a hit in on him."

Okay, what? Hold up.

"Really?" I try not to sell that I'm surprised by this, but I don't think it works.

"He's a sleaze." Chae sighs as she crosses her arms under her chest. "I don't like him."

"Me either." Fyre nods in agreement with her fellow Nitro Girl.

I have to turn to Kim, because this can't be happening. "They're just trying to mess with me, right?"

Kimberly shakes her head and lets out a small, tart laugh. "No, they're not. There are a lot of people that aren't fond of Eric."

"Has he tried to fuck you girls over?" I ask them with genuine concern and curiosity. "If you want to sit here and get everything off your ridiculously large chests, I'll gladly listen and bitch with you."

Kimmy nearly chokes on my comment about their breasts, but both Chae and Fyre seem to be amused by me. That's a good sign, right?

However, both girls quickly switch over to a more somber attitude.

"He doesn't respect women." Chae scoffs. "He's very rude, and he cares only about a girl's looks. He especially doesn't care about the Nitro Girls, because we're just out there to dance and look good. We don't matter, because we're just there to be hot."

"I don't know how you have the balls to stand up to him." Fyre admits. "There have been a few of us talk about it before, and really, we're all impressed by you in that aspect. He's got too much power over us for us to even begin to think about calling him out on his shit. We've lost quite a few girls because of his ways."

I swear, it's like a piece of my heart has both broken and ignited into flames at the same time. How could I be so blind? Why was I foolish enough to believe that I was the only chick Eric's been screwing over this entire time?

I look over at Kim, and she looks as devastated as I do.

"He's always been good to me." Kimmy's voice is like a whisper. "I thought you just didn’t like him because he was always putting himself over or something. Why didn't you girls tell me that he-"

"Telling you would be standing up to him in some way, Kimberly." Chae sadly shakes her head. "Besides, we never wanted to put this on you. You've had it good, and we're jealous of that, but the last thing we've ever needed is you getting either yourself or us in anymore trouble."

"Besides, if we leave him alone, he normally doesn't bother us too much." Fyre adds.

My poor best friend is devastated, and that's killing me more than anything else. She knew that her girls didn’t like Eric, but she didn’t realize the reasons were so bad. Kimberly Falkingberg - a woman who is normally more happy and vibrant than anyone else in the fuckin' world - looks like she's on the brink of tears.

"Hey, cheer up, Kim." I playfully bump her shoulder with my fist. "Don't look like that. You've don't want your makeup to run, do you? You've got a photo shoot to kill."

Kim looks over at me, and as I give her an encouraging smile, I can tell that she's trying her best to regain her composure. She wants to hold herself together.

"I wish I could help you girls." Kimberly's voice is shaky, but I can see she's getting a grip on the situation slowly but surely. "Is there anything I can do for you?" When Chae and Fyre shake their heads, Kim frowns once again.

Goddammit, Eric! You just love fucking everything up, don't you?

"It may take time, but I'm going to do everything I can to get Bitchoff back for all of the shit he's put everyone through." I tell the distressed women. "I hate that motherfucker and everything he has done. He's always causing problems for me, because I stand up to him. That's why he hates me, I guess."

"You're like a hero, in a way." Chae tells me. "Some chicks think that you're stuck up because you stick off to yourself with Nash and Hall all the time and don't socialize much, but to the rest of us, you're the girl that fights Bischoff."

"We've got some bitches in the locker room." Fyre agrees. "But even though you're WCW home-grown, you really are like an outsider. You stay out of people's way but you still work on taking the shit out of the company."

I find it hard to believe that I'm actually this over with the girls, but if I am, that's fuckin' great. I don't do what I do to please other people, but if these ladies are going through hell and I can help make things easier for them, that's pretty damn swell.

"Eric Bischoff is a huge piece of shit, and I'm sorry that all of you have to deal with his dick-ish ways." I shake my head. He's such an asshole. "I'll probably end up fighting him for real one day, and I promise that when that happens, I'll clock him once for you Nitro Girls."

At this point, I’m not sure if I’m joking about fighting Eric. I could be, I could not be. Who’s to say?

Chae gives me a light-hearted grin as she says, "That'd be nice."

"He definitely deserves it." Fyre chuckles.

As we wrap up the conversation, the girl that Kimberly had sent out to take her pics after me returns and tells Kim to send someone else out. Kim tells Chae to go get her work done, and Fyre awkwardly heads off to go do something else. I guess she wants to give me and Kim some space.

"You okay?" I ask as soon as we're alone. Or at least, alone at the table. The rest of the girls are nearby, just not super close in proximity.

"I will be." Kimberly gives me a sad smile. I hate seeing her look like this. "I'm supposed to be leading this group, and we've all been working together for two years. I thought that maybe - just maybe— if they had any problems, they'd be able to come to me. I guess not."

"That's not on you." I tell her softly. "Eric is the issue, not you. He's an intimidating little ass, and it's hard for people to stand up to him. Eventually though, there comes a point where enough is enough and you fight back."

Kim's quiet for a moment, and I can tell that she's thinking everything over. I wish that there was more that I could for her, because seeing her hurt like this is so damn painful.

How many people does Eric have to hurt before he’s stopped?

"You're right." Kim eventually speaks up. She pulls me into a hug, which is a little bit awkward considering our tits are barely covered and they're pressing against each other. Ah, fuck it. "Thank you, Joli."

"You know I'm killing him for making you so upset, right?" I'm only partially joking. I'm not going to flat-out murder the little shit, but this has definitely made me hate him even more.

If that's possible.

"You're the best." Kimberly looks at me with such a grateful smile that I feel my previously broken heart fix itself. "Thank you." She repeats.

"You say that like you haven't cheered my mopey ass up hundreds of times over the year." I laugh, and she does too. "Don't let that ass-wipe get you down."

"I'll try not to." Kim's smile then falters. "I just don't want him to keep messing with my girls."

"Hopefully from now on, they'll at least come talk to you." I don't want to lie to her and tell her that Eric will stop, because he won't. That’s something that I know for a fact. Nothing phases Eric.

"Do you think so?" Poor Kimmy is so uncertain.

"I do. I don't see how anyone couldn't trust you. You said I'm the best, but that's a lie. You're better than I'll ever be." I mean that. Kimberly is one of the most wonderful people I've ever met.

She doesn't verbally respond, but she gives me another grateful look that says everything for her. My sister loves me as much as I love her.

The photo shoot eventually draws to a close while the sun is still up in the sky, which isn't surprising because we all got here at the ass crack of dawn. When Kim and I head back out to our loves, we're no longer in our bikinis; we're in shorts and tank tops.

We meet our boys outside of the shack they were at, and as soon as they see us approach, they walk forward to greet us.

"There you two are!" Kev grins widely as he places a kiss on my lips. "We missed you ladies."

"We missed you too." I tell him as I bring him back down for another kiss.

"So, are you gals done for the day?" Dallas asks as he wraps an arm around Kim's waist.

"We sure are." Kim nods. She then places a hand on her stomach and laughs. "You guys hungry?"

"I'm always hungry." Kev laughs. "We were actually just talking about that."

"Sounds good to me." I then look over my shoulder, making sure we're far enough away from the beach that they're not going to bitch at me for smoking. "Cigs, babe."

Kev hands my cigarettes and my lighter, and as soon as they’re in my hand, I pull a little stick out, plop it in my mouth, and light it up. I sigh happily as, with my first puff, the smoke fills my lungs. Goddamn, this is nice.

We head out to eat with Dallas and Kim, and even though Kim's cheered up quite a bit, I can tell that the whole situation with Eric and the girls has got her down. Dally and Kev try to get her to tell them what's wrong, but she doesn't crack. Eventually, on the way back to the hotel, I tell Kev everything about it.

He's pissed, of course, but he's actually glad that the girls look up to me.

"Or at least, they look up to you as much as they can." Kev jokes. "Most of them you have to look up to."

I don't blame him for lightening the air with a joke about my height, but I do playfully punch his arm for it.

Kev then asks what I plan to do about the situation, and he isn't surprised when I tell him that I want to fight back. I just haven't figured out how. He’s positive that I’ll find the right thing to do, and I genuinely appreciate his support. My boyfriend is the greatest man on Earth.

As we pull into the hotel, though, Kev surprises me. He asks, "You're cool with hanging out with Kim next Friday, right? Just the two of you or whoever the fuck you want to bring?"

"What?"

"Dallas and I are going to go to some baseball game." Kev tells me. "He got tickets or some shit like that and he doesn’t want to go alone. I don't know."

As weird as the whole thing is, it makes me happy. I love that Kev and my big bro are going to spending some time together.

"Sure, babe. You guys go have fun." I smile brightly. "We'll find something to do."

"Great." Kev then kisses the back of my hand.

I hope Kev and Dally have a great time when they go to their ball game, because I'm sure Kim and I will have a lot to talk about. Hell, we might even invite a couple of the girls to hang out with us.

Who knows?

If there's one thing I know for a fact, though, it's that Eric Bischoff is going to pay.

Chapter 73: you've got my blessing

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

In the roughly eight years that I've known Dallas, there's never been a time that I've been nervous to see him. He's such a chill, relaxed dude that it's easy to feel comfortable around him.

Unless, of course, you're going to be talking to him about something majorly fuckin' important like I am, and you don't know how in the hell he's going to react. Dallas could be happy, or he could be pissed. He's probably going to be shocked, but he's also probably going to hit me.

Or at least knock me on the head.

"You okay, babe?" Joli asks me with a raised brow as we walk to Dallas and Kim's hotel room. "You look thoughtful." She pauses for a minute before smirking up at me. "It's hot."

I can't help but chuckle as I drape an arm around my girl's shoulders. I love Jolene Milford more than I've ever loved anyone else, and I know for a fuckin' fact that I could never care for anyone else like this. She is the love of my life and she's the woman for me.

Then again, it's my love for Jolene that makes me so damn nervous to talk to Dallas. Ugh.

"I'm cool." I reply to Joli. "Just thinking about where we should stop to eat." Actually, food is the furthest thing from my mind right now, but she doesn't need to know that.

"Ah," Joli nods, buying my answer for the time being, "I see. Since me and Kim won't be there to complain, Dally might try to take you to some weird-ass exotic place. I'd watch my back if I were you."

"We might just stick to hot dogs at game." But, the game isn’t until much later in the day, so whatever.

I honestly have no idea what else Dallas and I are going to do today. I guess it's possible that Dallas could take me out to a back alley and pop a bullet in my skull and I'd never see it coming. Then again, he might just do that to me once he finds out what I want to do.

On top of that, the game is mainly being used as an excuse to get us together; Dallas knows that I’ve got something big to talk to him about. Who knows if we’ll even end up going to it?

Joli starts going on about how excited she is to go out with Kim and a couple of the Nitro Girls. My babe is absolutely adorable and I'm proud of her for branching out and trying to make some new friends. Granted, she's using the whole, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' tactic, but it's working for her.

When we reach Dallas and Kim's room, I knock on the door with one hand and grab Joli's ass with the other. My girl looks damn good today, but to be fair, she never looks bad. Joli's wearing a black skirt and a beautiful red sleeveless top. She winks at me and I feel my heart skip a bit, something that I didn't think was possible over a year into a relationship. Love is fuckin' wild.

"Hey!" Kimberly greets us as she opens up the door. "Good morning, guys."

"Morning, Kimmy." Joli smiles at her best friend as we walk into the room.

Dallas is sitting on the bed and tying his ball shoes, but he looks up at us as we walk near him. He waves us over, and I sit on the bed beside of him. Dallas is wearing a white baseball jersey like I am, and a plain pair of black shorts.

"I don't mean to rush off, but the mall opens at nine." Joli tells me and Dallas with an excited grin. She puts her hands on my cheeks and places a soft, loving kiss on my lips; my arms snake around her waist, and when she goes to pull back, I don't want to let her go. "I love you, babe. We'll see you guys later!"

"Love you too, Joli." I hear Dallas and Kimberly say their farewells, but I'm too busy watching my babe walk away. How did I get to be this lucky?

As soon as the girls are out of the room, I turn to Dallas. He places a hand on my back and pats it a couple of times before standing up.

"So, do you want to get right to the point today, or do you want to kill some time first?" Dallas asks as he stretches and pops his back. "Because we both know that the girls are going to be gone all damn day."

Fuck, I don't know. Would it be better to talk him now, or maybe wait until later? Dallas is the only person I can go to for this specific conversation. He's the only one I want to talk to about it, honestly.

"Let's get some coffee first." I finally tell Dallas after a moment of thought. "There's a lot to talk about."

"Fine by me." Dally grins and shoves his hands into his pockets. "Let's go get some drinks."

And with that, we're off.

-

Once I've got a couple of cups of coffee in me, I'm a lot more awake and my nerves have settled down quite a bit. This is such a big deal and I need to know if I'm going to be fucking anything up, you know, if I should even try.

There's that pit of doubt in the bottom of my stomach. I sure missed it.

"Whatever it is that's on your mind, you're really stressing about it, aren't you?" Dallas snaps my attention as he drives away from the small coffee shop. "It really is pretty damn important, isn't it?"

"More so than anything else I've ever thought about in my entire life." I admit as I rest the side of my head against the car door. "Nothing else has ever been this fuckin' serious. You're the guy I have to talk to about this. It couldn't be anyone else."

"You can't even go to Paul for this?" Dallas is surprised, but who can blame him? I shake my head and mutter a, "Nope," which prompts the question, "It's about Jolene, isn't it?"

"Did that give it away?" I ask with a small, almost nervous laugh. "Of course it is. She's the only person or thing in this world that could make me feel like this."

Joli just has that kind of effect on me, whatever it may be. My beautiful girlfriend can make or break me if she wants to.

"If that's the case," Dallas mutters, looking over his shoulder as he changes lanes of traffic. He quickly pulls off the road and takes us to the parking lot of a Waffle House. It's weird seeing one of these things in the daylight. "We're talking now. What'd she do?" Dallas parks the car and turns it off before looking directly at me.

Fucking hell, here we go. I don't have a real reason to be nervous because it's just Dallas, right?

Goddammit, I'm fucked.

"She didn't do anything, man." I tell him truthfully. "Aside from steal my fuckin' heart, that is."

"Uh-huh..." Dally's eyes narrow as he stares at me, trying to read me and figure me out. "Then what is this about?"

I take a deep breath, just to settle myself down a little bit more. I turn my head and adjust my body as much as possible so that I can look at Dallas better. "So," I clear my throat, "I've known Jolene since the beginning of 1992, which was a whole fuckin' seven years ago. Until last Christmas, I only thought that her family was shitty. Now, I know for a fact that they are."

"Yeah, the Milford's fuckin' suck." Dallas agrees. "But what does this have to do with Joli?"

"Well," Fuck it, I'm going in, "Well, her father doesn't give a shit about her and I don't give a shit about his opinion on anything." I watch as Dallas' eyes slowly open back up fully. He's got to be piecing this together now. "I'm sort of old-fashioned, I guess, and since you're the most important male to Joli as far as family goes, I'd like to ask for your permission to marry her."

Dallas is completely silent for a moment, and I know he's trying to let all of it sink in. I can't tell if he wants to strangle me or jump in excitement. Knowing Dallas, he could probably do both.

"I can't believe you've actually come to me for this." Dallas' voice is calm and collected, but also humbled. "Like, you're really coming to me and asking for Jolene's hand in marriage?"

"Yes, I am." I nod and give Dallas a small grin. "I would ask her folks, but like I said they don't give a damn about her and I don't give a damn about them. If I can't talk to her parents, I figure her big brother is the best bet."

For another quick moment, Dally is quiet. I can tell that it really means a lot to him that I've come to him to talk about it, but there's no one else I would rather talk to. He's far more important to Jolene than her family could ever be, and shit, why shouldn't he be? Dallas has been a damn amazing friend to all of us over the years and I value his input.

"Before I give you my blessing on this, I've got to talk to you a little bit first, okay?" Dallas turns serious, and I'm not surprised. I wouldn't expect anything less. I nod to show him that I'm ready for him to continue. "You know that, regardless of what I say, it is possible that she shoots you down? Not because she doesn't love you, but because she may not be ready for another marriage?"

What Dallas says stings, but I know it's the truth. Joli could very well throw the ring I get her in my face and tell me to fuck off, but it's a chance I'm willing to take.

"I'm aware of that." I tell him. "But, Joli has come a long way in the time that we've been together. We've not discussed marriage all that much, but I think she's open to the idea if it's with the right guy. I'm hoping that in her eyes, that's me."

"You have managed to heal her heart quite a lot." Dallas agrees. "She trusts you more than she's ever trusted anyone, you know that, don't you? Jolene believes in you and what the two of you can become, otherwise she wouldn't have started dating you." But, at the same time, she still might not be ready for marriage, and I'm okay with that.

"I know. Her trust is something I will never take advantage of. Jolene has placed her heart in my hands, and I'm not going to break it." Not now, not ever.

"If you do ever try and break her heart, just know, I will cut your dick off." There's not the slightest bit of hesitation or playfulness in Dallas' tone. "I'll cut it off and feed it to you in a protein shake. Then, once you've finished that, I'll snap your fuckin' neck."

"You have my permission to do that, but I promise, the day will never come that you will need to." I'd rather die than hurt Joli, and that's the fuckin' truth. I couldn't live with myself if I added anymore pain to my beautiful girl's heart. "Jolene means everything to me."

"No matter what happens between the two of you, do you fucking swear to me that you will never treat her as poorly as her ex did? That you will never make her feel like she's not good enough or that she's nothing more than your little bitch?" There's this ferocity in Dallas' eyes and voice that is very rare for him, but it's completely deserved in this context.

"She'll never be treated as less than the queen that she is by me. Time and time again, Joli and I have withered the shit-storms of this world together, and we've always been able to make it. I'll take care of her and I'll make sure that she understands how fuckin' amazing she truly is."

We stare at each other for a long, silent moment before Dallas pulls me into a big, awkward hug. It's only awkward because of the fact that we're in this tiny ass car and we can't really reach each other that well. Regardless, though, the sentiment is still there.

As we part from the hug, Dallas gives me one of those bright smiles that only he could pull off. "Kevin, I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for Jolene over the years. I trust you just like she does, and I know that you'll never hurt her. You're a bit of jackass sometimes, but you always have your reasons. At the end of the day, you're a damn great guy and Jolene is lucky to have you."

My lips turn into this huge smile, and I can't help it. I love Jolene so fuckin' much. "A lot of people have treated her badly in her life, but I'm not ever going to be one of them."

"And that's why you've got my blessing, Kevin." Dallas pats my shoulder. "You understand Jolene better than anyone, even me and Kimberly. I know you'll take care of my little sis."

"Thank you." I honestly feel as though a huge, DDP sized load has been lifted off of my shoulders. “I appreciate the hell out of that, Page. Thank you.”

“I know you won’t make me regret that decision.” Dallas winks at me and then pulls the keys out the ignition. “Now, let’s go celebrate the good news with some damn good food!”

“Sounds good to me.” I grin as we both get out of the car. You can never go wrong with Waffle House.

“You know Kim’s gonna scream when you tell her though, right?” Dallas follows with a chuckle. “And, it has to be you that tells her. She’ll kick both of our asses if I break the news.”

“I don’t doubt that.” I laugh in agreement. “Plus, I’d feel bad if I didn’t tell Joli’s Kimmy. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“Exactly, bro.” Dallas grins.

The last time that I asked a woman to marry me, she had said yes, but in the end, we just weren’t meant to be. With Joli, though, I know things are going to be different. They’re going to be better.

Now, I’ve just got to come up with the perfect plan. My babe doesn’t deserve a shitty proposal; nah, she deserves the best fuckin’ one that I can come up with.

Chapter 74: it's better this way

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

When Kev asked me to meet him at a local diner after tonight's Thunder taping, I knew that something big was on his mind. Ever since he and Dallas went to that baseball game together, I could just tell that something was on his mind; he won't sell it around Joli, but when it is just us, his defenses slip.

I guess it's good that he's not wanting to try and hide anything from me. I just wonder what he's wanting to hide from her.

It's got to be a big damn deal if Kev is not telling Joli, right? I can't put my finger on what it is, and that's probably because I can't tell if it's something that is making him happy or sad.

Did he get her something, or did he mess something up? Is something gonna happen to her? Really, what's up?

I'll find out soon, because Kev should be here any minute. He told me to meet him at midnight, and according to the clock on the wall, that's the time. Kev must be running a little late.

Of course, as soon as I say that, I spot Big Kev making his way out of Dallas' rental. The plan was for me to bring our car, and Kev just ride back to the hotel together. That's fine with me.

"There you are." I say with a small laugh as Kev walks on over to the booth I'm at. He grins and sits down across from me.

"Hey, man. Sorry to make you wait." Kev apologizes as he grabs one of the menus. "Joli didn't want me to leave until she fell asleep, and I couldn't tell her 'no.'"

I really don't blame him. She's too goddamn cute to leave, especially when she's sleepy.

"It's all right, brother. You've not got to apologize for anything." I wave it off before taking a drink of the coffee that I had ordered earlier. It's actually my second cup of the night, because it's really helped keep my ass awake. "What's on your mind?"

As soon as I bring up the elephant in the room, this look of uncertainty crosses Kev's face. Is whatever it is that he wants to talk about bad? Or does he just not want to tell me?

I can't figure it out and that stings. Have I lost my ability to read Kev, or has he just gotten better at hiding his feelings? Maybe I'm just reading too far into this.

"Well, man, it's..." Kev trails off when the waitress comes by to take his order, and once she goes off to go get him his own coffee, he resumes his train of thought. "It's about Joli. It's nothing bad or anything, but it is about her. Me and her."

It's not bad, but it's about them? What the fuck is he talking about? I'm trying to piece all of this together, but it's just not making much sense to me. What happened that day with Dallas?

"What is it?" As the words come from my mouth, one possible answer comes into my mind, but I'm sure that's not what he's talking about.

Kev's not going to ask Joli to marry him, is he?

"There's something big that's going to happen, but you're sworn to secrecy, okay?" Kev grins widely at me once again. I can tell now that he's really excited about whatever it is. "You can't tell Joli."

"I won't tell her." I shake my head at my Kev. "Whatever big thing you're planning, it's safe with me."

"So," Kev starts off, pausing only to thank the waitress when she brings him his coffee, "Joli and I have been together for over a year now, you know?"

Holy fuck. He's going to do it, isn't he?

"Yeah. You guys got together the day Kid got let go, right?" I mean, I think that was the day they started dating. I'm not entirely sure, since I wasn't doing the best then.

Fuck, I'm not doing the best now.

"The day he went to rehab, yeah, and the day he told us that Bischoff canned him." Kev agrees, and I nod. "Joli has come a long way from the completely damaged woman that she once was. She's not completely fixed, not by any means, but I'm piecing her heart back together one day at a time."

Just by watching the way that Joli and Kev interact, I know for a fact that he's right. The Jolene Milford that is asleep in our hotel room is different from the Jolene Milford that Kev and I first met.

The old Jolene was afraid of giving her heart to someone, because it had been shattered into a million pieces in the past. She didn't believe that love was out there for her, because she had been married to someone that couldn't appreciate her. The old Jolene would have laughed at the thought of being in a loving, positive relationship, because she didn't think that such a was possible for her.

But the new Jolene? She's given her heart to someone that loves her more than life itself. The current Jolene isn't skeptical about love, because she's been able to experience and grow with someone that shares her feelings. The new Jolene is happier than old Jolene ever was.

However, for as different as old Jolene and new Jolene are, they're still very much the fuckin' same.

They're both smart asses that aren't afraid to crack a joke or call someone on their bullshit. They both stand up for what they believe in, even if meant getting an unimaginable amount of heat placed on them. They've both got a great mind for the business, and they can see true talent a mile away. They're both damn sexy, inside and out.

They're both the woman that I fell in love with, and the woman that I still love today.

"Joli's a strong woman, but you've been the best thing for her, brother." I give him a grin of my own, because even though I hate that I couldn't help her like that, I'm glad that he did. "You know that you mean everything to her, right? She loves you more than she's ever loved anyone."

I don't enjoy admitting that, but it's the truth. Jolene loves Kev, and really, why wouldn't she? He's strong, confident, caring, and most importantly, he's dependable. Whenever she needs him, he's there.

As much as I would love to be with Joli, I know it's better this way. Even though I love her like fuckin' crazy, I'm no good for her. I'd never have been able to have helped Joli like Kev has, because I can't even help myself. For her sake, I'm glad that she didn't choose me.

The cold, sad truth is that I would have ruined Jolene. I'm too much for her, and I'll never change. I know it's only a matter of time before I crash and burn again, and I'm glad that I don't have to bring her down with me.

I would have tried my best to be good for her, but at the end of the day, I only would have ended up breaking her heart even more. Joli doesn't deserve that. She doesn't deserve my bullshit.

"I'm a lucky man." I agree, Kev. You really are. "For as much as I mean to her, she means just as much to me."

I know, Kev. I know.

"So, what are you planning on doing?" I ask as if it isn't completely obvious to me. "What's the big surprise you're planning?"

Kev takes a big, quick gulp of coffee and then he inhales a large breath. He gives me a solemn smile as he says, "Scott, I'm going to ask Jolene to marry me."

I don't know what emotion my face shows, but I can feel my heart sink to the bottom of my stomach. I tried to prepare myself for it as much as I could, but it's still hitting me like a damn Diesel truck. Kev could have punched me in the gut and it would've hurt a lot less.

At the same time, I'm happy. Although it fuckin' hurts to know that there isn't going to be any chance of me Jolene getting together now (not that there ever was to begin with), I have to stop being selfish and look at this from a logical point-of-view.

One of my best friends is going to be asking my other best friend to marry him. This is fuckin' huge.

I don't want to be an asshole, no matter what im feeling. I clear my throat and tell Kev in the most honest tone I can manage, "That's awesome, man! Go for it!"

"Thanks, man." I can tell that Kev isn't entirely buying my reaction. He must've caught onto my shit. "Do you really think she'll go for it?"

I have to think for a moment, because off the top of my head, it's hard to say. I don't know anything about the conversations they've had as a couple, but I do know how Joli felt before she and Kev got together. In the nearly year and a half that Joli and Kev have been dating, Joli has grown so fuckin' much.

"I think she will." I finally tell Kev. "I'm not shitting you on that. She loves you and I'm sure that you're the only one she'll ever want. Joli's your girl, Kev; she'll say 'yes.'"

We stare at each other for a quick moment, and it's probably just because Kev's trying to see if I'm being serious or not. I am, and after he studies me, he realizes that. I can see this wave of relief wash over Kev as he ever-so-slightly sinks down into his seat.

"I'm honestly glad you think so, man. You, Dallas, and Kimberly are the only ones I've told what I'm planning, and you're the only ones I plan on telling." Kev admits. "You've all three told me that you think she'll say 'yes,' so I think it's worth a shot. The worst she could do is shoot me down."

"She could light your ass on fire when you're not paying attention." I joke. "You know, toast your fuckin' buns."

"That's possible." Kev laughs in agreement. "She could." He then pauses. "Or, she could punch the fuck out of my balls."

"I don't doubt it." I grin. "Joli's feisty. She may not be the strongest, but she can pack a punch."

"Hell yeah she can." Kev finishes his cup of coffee up before commenting, "I think she's going to end up knocking Eric's lights out before all of this shit is said and done."

I'm not sure if Eric is the best subject to change to, but I have to admit, I like the image of Joli knocking him out. It's nice.

"I'm sure she will. They fuckin' hate each other." I give Kev a small smile. "Joli's tougher than he is."

"She really fuckin' is!" Kev snickers. "Did you know that the story that was going around is that she did punch the shit out of him?" I shake my head. "That's what the Nitro Girls told her. Everyone believes that's why she got suspended."

"Did she correct them?" I ask; Kev nods. "I'm surprised she did. That's the kind of thing I'd expect her to roll with."

Goddamn, Joli is the best.

"Right?" Kev laughs. "I wish she'd punched him, but she didn't. Not yet."

Although I feel like I'm to blame for the fight between Joli and Eric that got her suspended, I'm comforted by the fact that I didn't cause their hatred for one another. That was a natural, organic build.

"She's probably going to knock Bret out one of these days, too." I add as I go over the list of people that Joli doesn't like. Really, those are the only people I can think of aside from Thomas.

"Undoubtedly. And he'll throw a huge fuckin' fit about it." Kev smirks at the idea of Joli fighting Bret.

"He'd try to fight her back more than Eric would." I point out.

"I'd like to see him fuckin' try it." Kev scoffs. "He tries to hurt her and he's dead."

"Just like his hopes and dreams." I add jokingly, as if my hopes and dreams are still alive and kickin' it. Kev has to laugh along with me.

By the time we leave the diner, it's around 2 in the morning. When we sneak into the hotel, I nearly trip on my way to my bed, because the last thing me or Kev want to do is turn on a light and wake Joli up.

As I take my shoes off and toss them aside, I hear Kev do the same. We both strip down into our boxers and crawl into our own beds, but unlike Kev, I just snuggle up to a pillow.

I pull out the bottle of beer that I had hidden in the pillow for easy connivence and pop the top off of it as Joli stirs next to Kev. I can hear them talking as I begin to chug my booze.

"Go on back to sleep, baby." Kev says softly. "We're here."

"I fuckin' missed you." Joli mutters. "I love you." She sounds so tired and it's painfully cute.

"I love you too, Joli. Goodnight."

"'Night, babe." Joli yawns. "'Night Scott."

I have to quickly finish my drink so that I can tell Joli and Kev both goodnight, but I do it. It's not long after I close my mouth that I hear Joli snoring softly. Kev whispers a 'goodnight' to me before making himself comfortable in bed.

My mind is swirling as I settle into bed, and although my heart aches like a bitch, I know that this is how things have to be. Kev and Joli belong together.

Chapter 75: if it's meant to be

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

For it to be a Saturday in late May, it's ridiculously warm today in Virginia. I mean, I'm fine with it, but it's usually not this warm out. The intense heat doesn't usually come until mid or late June, though I suppose I can chuck it up to me and my babe being so damn hot.

That's a logical conclusion, right?

Today's journey is going to consist of me and Kev hanging out at an amusement park with Paula and her daughter, whose name has completely slipped my mind at this point. Paula's kiddo just got out of school for the year, and Paula's wanting to reward her for it. That's pretty damn cool.

Besides, I love amusement parks! It's been so long since I've been to one, and I'm really excited to be here.

"You and Paula have met before, right?" I ask Kev as we walk towards the park. I'm finishing up my last smoke before we head in. "Or am I completely insane, and you've never so much as seen her face?"

"We've met, we've just not really spent a lot of time talking." Kev replies as I take my last puff. I toss my cigarette butt onto the ground as he adds, "Most of what I know about her is from stories you, Kid, and Scott have told me."

"Ah!" I nod. I grab Kev's right hand with my left one and lace our fingers together. "Makes sense. She's a nice girl, even if she is one of the biggest marks out there."

Man, Paula is great.

"She seems like she's a really sweet gal. As long as she's not trying to collect my sweat for her personal collection, we'll be cool." I can't help but laugh at Kev's joke. I love him so fuckin' much.

When we reach the entrance to the park, it doesn't take me long to spot Paula. She and her daughter are standing off to the side, waiting patiently for us. As soon as Paula and I lock eyes, she bursts into this huge grin.

I can't help but do the same.

"Good morning, Jolene!" Paula greets. "It's nice to see you again, Kevin."

Much to my surprise, Paula is actually relatively calm when speaking to Kev. I mean, she's still marking out hard, but for Paula, she's being really chill.

"Nice to see you, too." Kev waves at Paula and her daughter.

"How're you two today?" I ask Paula, then I turn my attention to her nervous little daughter. She's got to be around seven years old. I give the girl a smile.

Paula waits a minute to see if her daughter will reply, and when she doesn't, Paula gently pats her back. "It's okay, Janice. You can talk to Jolene."

Ah, Janice! Right. That's her name.

"She might look scary, but she's really a nice lady." Kev jokes as he bumps me with his elbow. "She won't hurt you."

I playfully glare at Kev until Janice starts giggling. At that point, I turn around and give her another smile.

"So, how're you today, Janice?" I ask again.

"I'm really excited." Janice grins just like her mother. "We're going to ride all kinds of rides and it's gonna be awesome!" She then jumps into the air, just to showcase how excited she really is. "Best of all," She takes a deep breath, "NO MORE SCHOOL!"

"Janice! Shh. Don't yell like that!" Kev snickers as Paula gently scolds her daughter. Janice looks over at me with a bashful smile, and I give her a little wink.

"Lets go ahead and get in line." I point towards the growing line with my thumb, and everyone nods in agreement. As we get in line, I hear Paula squeal behind me in excitement. "Wha-"

"Your tattoo!" Paula cheers. It occurs to me now that I'm wearing a tank top, and she's got to be able to see it, sorta. I grab my hair and lift it up with one hand, so that she can get a better look at it. "Oh my God!"

"It came out pretty damn well, didn't it?" I'm beyond thrilled with it. "The only thing I don't like about it is that it's hard for me to see."

"I see it quite a lot." Kev comments nonchalantly. "It's a nice point to lock onto, really."

"'Lock onto?'" Janice echoes. "What? When-"

Oh my God, this poor, innocent child! I burst into laughter as Paula tries to steer Janice away from Kev's 'inappropriate' remarks.

"Don't worry about that, sweetie." Paula sounds like she's trying her best to not laugh along with us. "Your tattoo is beautiful, Jolene. I'm just so glad that you liked the way my design came out."

"You really killed it! You blew my expectations out of the water with it." I've got to put Paula over here. "Thanks again." I send her a smile over my shoulder after I let my hair fall back into place.

"You know it's no problem." Paula sounds so proud, and I have to say, it does my heart good. I really do appreciate her help with my tattoo. "Like I said, I'm just glad you liked it."

"It's really damn nice." Kev chimes in. "I was stunned when I saw it. You really got the style down perfectly. Good job."

I have to glance back at Paula to see her reaction, and just as I expected, she's ecstatic. She's trying her damnedest to not completely scream or make a fool of herself, because the Kevin Nash just complimented her handwriting.

It's cute, but it also makes me want to laugh; not because she's so happy, but because in keeping herself from marking out, she's brought this goofy little look onto her face. Oh, Paula.

By the time we reach the counter to buy our tickets, I'd say Janice and I have about the same level of excitement. I'm looking into the park, and I can see all sorts of rides that I know are going to be amazing. I wonder how many of them we can ride before we leave?

"How many?" The man behind the counter asks us. Before I have a chance to reply, Paula scoots up with her wallet in her hand.

"Three adults and one child, please." Paula smiles friendly at the man as she cracks open her wallet. The man gives her the total, and Kev and I both try to get her to stop. "Shush, now. I've got it. You can pitch in on dinner or something." She shoots me a little wink, and I shake my head.

You're too much, Paula. Thank you.

We head into the park and Janice instantly starts tugging on her mother's hand, trying to lead her in the direction of some silly little ride. It's one of those ones that is specifically for children, and it's basically just a little dragon that you ride around a track.

"This one first!" Janice cheers. "This one!"

"Okay, okay." Paula giggles. Kev and I follow after them.

"The girl has a lot of energy, doesn't she?" Kev playfully comments in my ear. "She's pretty excited."

"Do you blame her?" I whisper back to Kev as I give him a smile. "This place is fuckin' rad."

Of course, I make sure that Janice is out of earshot before I say 'fuckin',' because I don't want to be responsible for corrupting her. That's not going to be on me.

"It's pretty sweet." Kev has to agree. He looks around at all of the rides and eventually, his eyes land on the biggest rollercoaster in the park. "You going to do that one?"

To most, it certainly would have been an intimidating sight. After all, it's a fuckin' huge rollercoaster, and it's got quite a few wild twists and turns on it. If it doesn't scare the shit out of you when you're on it, I would be surprised if it didn't make you sick to your stomach.

However, I don't see it as intimidating. I see it as a challenge.

"If I can handle riding you, I think I can handle that without any problems." I tell my babe smugly. Kev smacks my ass as we settle in beside of Paula in line.

"Joli's going to go on that big ol' rollercoaster over there." Kev tells Paula. "You want to go on there with her?"

"I'll go!" Janice jumps in excitement. "I'll go!"

"Oh, no." Paula shakes her head lovingly at her daughter. "No you won't. That's too big for you, Janice."

Janice groans, but she soon cheers up as she gets beckoned to go on the dragon ride. She gives us all this vibrant smile before darting off towards the ride.

As watch Janice get on her ride, Kev asks again, "So what do you say, Paula? You going to ride the 'coaster with Joli?"

Paula looks over at the rollercoaster for a long moment, studying the structure and obviously weighing her options. She then turns to me and questions shyly, "If I do get on that with you, do you promise to not get mad if I cling to you? Because I'm already afraid of it."

"Mad? Never!" I playfully punch Paula's arm. "But, I might make fun of you just a little bit. Not too much."

Before Paula has a chance to reply, Janice squeals from her ride, "Mom! Mom, look!"

We all turn our attention to Janice, who is happily seated inside of the small, mechanical dragon. As she scoots along the tracks, she's as giddy as, well, a child. It's adorable.

I glance over at Paula, and the happiness on her face matches that of her daughter on the dragon. The sight brings joy to my heart, but at the same time, it pains me.

Paula is such a wonderful mother, and the love she has for her daughter is completely pure and unconditional. I wonder, what's it like to be a mom? What's it like to have a smaller version of yourself and the person you love?

I'd love to be a mother, but really, it's never going to happen. That's something I need to accept, but the more I watch Paula and Janice, the more I want to have a child of my own.

I mean, Kev and I would have such an adorable baby! Our kid would kick more ass than any other baby before it. They would be perfect. I know I'm not the best human being on the planet, but I would do anything I could to make their life fuckin' amazing.

Momentarily, I glance over at Kev. He's watching Janice gleefully ride the dragon, and I can't help but wonder, should I try to talk to him about all of this?

That is, about my desire to be a mother.

Even though Kev is nothing like Thomas, I can't help the feeling of anxiety that rushes over me at the mere thought of bringing the subject up to him. I know Kev would be understanding and considerate, and that he wouldn't be aggressive or condescending, but...

I don't know, it just doesn't seem worth it. If it's meant for me to become a mother, it'll happen. I'll leave it at that.

Janice soon finishes her ride, and as she giddily rushes over to us, she's pointing towards the rollercoaster. I can see the unease come onto Paula's face.

"Mommy!" Janice beams. "Your turn! Your turn!"

Paula gulps and turns to me, and she gives me a nervous smile. "You sure you want to do this, Jolene?"

"Girl," I laugh, "You know I do."

Before I know it, Paula and I are being strapped in on the rollercoaster. I look down at Kev, who is grinning up at us. He's got Janice hoisted on top of his shoulders, and she looks giddy as all hell.

Goddammit, Kev would be such a good father.

"Jolene, I don't know if this is a good idea." Paula snaps my attention. She's clenching onto the bar that's across our laps.

"You'll be okay." I laugh as I pat her back. "Live a little, Paula!"

Paula goes quiet, and I can see her jaw tighten. She's so nervous, and it's pretty funny.

The ride begins and the adrenaline rushes through my body. I can barely pay attention to Paula, because I'm too busy watching the ride progress. It's everything I wanted and more.

And Paula? I momentarily forget about her, until she starts screaming in my ear and digging her nails into my arm.

This is fuckin' great!

-

Once we finish with our last ride of the day, we head on out to our vehicles. Kev and I walk Paula and Janice to their car, and along the way, we decide on meeting up at a nearby steakhouse to have dinner. Naturally, Kev and I insist on paying for the meal; after all, Paula bought our tickets earlier. It's only fair.

At their car, Paula buckled Janice up in her car seat before turning to me and Kev. She looks happier than I've ever seen her.

"I just..." Paula begins a sentence before trailing off and starting over. "Thank you so much for hanging out with us today. It's meant the world to Janice..." She smiles before adding softly, "and to me."

"I'm just glad that we were able to get off work." Kev tells her with a grin. "It's been fun."

"Damn right it has." I agree. "Thanks for inviting us."

Paula's bashful about it. I can tell she's just genuinely happy to have people to hang out with, and this is definitely something we're going to have to do again.

"We'll see you at the restaurant!" Paula waves in farewell, and after we part ways, Kev gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"Today's been fun, babe. Paula's cool." Kev tells me as he opens the driver's side door of my car and slides inside. I have a cigarette lit up before I get in. "Janice is pretty cool, too."

"I'm glad you had fun." I smile. It's good that he's had as good of a time as I have.

I just wonder, has spending time with Janice made Kev want a child like it has me? I don't know.

I push the thoughts of parenthood away as we head off towards the steakhouse. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. If it's just not in the cards, so be it.

Kevin Nash is all I need to make it in life; a child of our own would be great, but I'll be okay as long as I have him.

Chapter 76: it's almost time

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

As I've learned over the past few weeks, there are a whole lot of damn things that go into planning a proposal. I mean, yeah, I could probably just throw something together off the top of my head, but that's not the way I want to do things. My babe deserves more than that.

Step one is already taken care; I've gained Dally's blessing. Since our first conversation about my plans, Dallas has grown more and more excited about the whole thing. He's a real confidence booster, for all the hell he gives me. There's no one out there in the world that is more real or honest with you than Dallas, and especially right now, that's something I fuckin' appreciate.

Step two was completed when I told Kimberly what I had on my mind. I thought she had shattered my damn eardrum, she screamed so loudly. I've seen Kim happy before, but never as much so as when I told her that I was going to ask Jolene to marry me. She teared up when I told her that I'd asked Dallas about it first, and that made me fuckin' grin. They're the family Jolene deserves.

Step three was telling Scott, which wasn't as easy as I wished it could have been. I could tell that he was happy for us, but at the same time, it broke his heart. He's never really moved on from Joli, but can I blame him? She's the most amazing woman that either of us have ever met. If things had gone the other way, I can't say that I wouldn't hurt, too.

Once I'd told my three main sources, I took care of step four, which was deciding where and how I should propose. Just thinking about it all makes my head spin. She'll either think that I'm the most romantic man on the Earth, or she's going to laugh and call me corny as all fuck.

Really, as long as she's smiling as she says it, I'll be happy either way.

Since all of that is taken care of, I'm brought to step five. This has been the hardest part yet, because I'm absolutely fuckin' clueless on it.

When I told Kimberly I was going to ask Jolene to marry me, she told me that she wanted to be as big of a part of the planning process as possible. I'm beyond thankful for that, because, if I had been alone today, I'd be even more lost than I already am.

I mean, I don't have any goddamn idea what a perfect engagement ring looks like. It's supposed to be big and shiny, right? And expensive?

As I walk into the jewelry store with Kim, I'm automatically taken back by the bright lights and shiny stones inside of it. This is definitely a hell of a lot flashier than what I'm used to, but it's fine. My inevitable headache is totally worth it, considering I'm getting something for my gal.

"Welcome!" This flamboyant dude greets us as soon as he spots us. He's wearing a tux and he looks way too happy to be here. "How can I help the two of you today?"

"We're looking to pick out an engagement ring." Kimberly explains with a grin. "He's proposing to my best friend soon, and I'm here to help him out."

"Ah!" The man claps. "That's great! I hope everything goes well for you, sir." He bows politely to me.

"Thanks." I nod back at the dude. "My babe is perfect. I'm trying to find something that lets her know how much she means to me."

"Thankfully, we've got a huge selection of engagement rings that you can choose from." The jewelry guy smiles as he motions for me and Kim to follow him. "I'll show you everything we've got."

"Thank you so much!" Kimberly cheers as we begin our short journey to the back of the store.

"Now, before we start going through all of these, I have a couple of questions." He looks over his shoulder at me as we walk. "What's the price range you're looking for, here? Because we have tons of lovely rings for any budget."

"Price isn't an issue." I then shrug. "Whatever the perfect ring costs, I'll pay. Joli deserves the best."

I mean, I'm not going to mortgage my house for a ring, but it's not like I'm struggling for dough. If I want to drop a huge fuckin' chunk of change on the most Joli ring they've got, I'll be okay.

"That's the answer I like to hear." The guy laughs, and it comes off pretty fuckin' smug. "So, tell me a little about the lucky lady. What is she like?"

He steps behind the jewelry desk and places his hands on the counters. There are quite a few rings that are on display, but it's obvious by the way that this second of the room is laid out that there are a lot more rings hidden away. I lazily shove my hands into the pockets of my ball shorts.

"Her name is Jolene and she's a fiery little fox." I tell him as Kim and I glance over the rings we can see. "My girl doesn't take any shit from anybody, but she's got one of the most beautiful, powerful hearts that I've seen."

Fucking hell, I love you, Joli.

"What's her style like?" He prods. "How does she dress?"

I reach into one of my pockets and I grab my wallet. I flip it open and pull out one of the pictures of me and Joli that I put in there a few months ago. It's a picture of us from one of the press shoots we did, back when the Wolfpac angle first started. Joli's got such a huge smile on her face in the picture, and I'm the one she's looking at.

It's crazy.

As soon as I pass the picture to the guy, his gaze softens. He studies my girl and the way she's dressed for a moment before handing me my picture back. "She's gorgeous." He tells me, as if I'm not already aware. "The two of you look very happy together."

"They are." Kimberly chimes in. I look over at her and realize that she's bent down, so that she can look at some of the rings that are closer to the bottom of the display. "Kev and Joli love each other more than anything else in the world. They're great together."

There's just something about hearing Kim put us over that does my heart good.

"I can tell." The guy smiles and then turns to rummage through a few drawers of rings. All at once, I can tell that an idea springs into his head. "Miss?"

Kimberly instantly perks up. She straights herself back up and asks, "Yes?"

"Would you care to come over for just a moment?" He motions for her to walk to one of the other sides of the desk. "I have something I'd like to show you. I think I have an idea."

"I'll give you two a little bit of privacy, I guess." I can tell by the look on the man's face that he's trying to surprise me. "I'll be looking at... whatever the fuck is over here."

I swear, I can feel him cringing when I say 'fuck.' It's funny.

For the next few minutes, I wander around the store. I look around at all sorts of jewelry, from necklaces to earrings and everything in-between. There's a lot of nice shit here, and if jewelry was Joli's thing, I'd buy everything I could for her.

Eventually though, Kim finds me and  leads me back to the area where the rings are. She's wearing this huge grin, and I can't lie, it makes me excited. If Kim's this happy, she's found the perfect ring.

"We narrowed it down to three rings." Kim tells me as we arrive back at the counter. The man is still standing back behind of the desk with the rings, and he's got three closed ring boxes sitting on the counter.

"All right, I think you'll love these." The dude smirks as he places his hands on the first box. "Now, without further adieu..."

Slowly, he opens up each of the three boxes. The first two rings are absolutely fuckin' stunning, don't get me wrong, but as soon as I see the third one, I know that's the one I have to get.

He must've noticed the way my face lit up upon seeing the ring, because he scoots the box closer to me so that I can look at it better. I lift the ring up and carefully bring it closer to my face.

The band of the ring is this beautiful black color, and it's got a twisting design on it that leads up to the black diamond in the middle of it. One part of the twist is covered in smaller diamonds. Everything about it just screams Joli.

"I don't care about the price. Go ahead and scan this one up." I tell the jeweler as I place the ring back into its box and hand it to him. "This is it."

"That's a wonderful choice, Kev." Kim beams as I pull my check book out of my pocket. "That's perfect for Jolene."

"I could look at other rings all day and I know for a fact that there's not one out there that I would like more than this one." I'm sure of it.

After I pay for the ring, Kimberly puts it in her purse and we head on out back to the car. Although I'm hugely fuckin' relieved to have to the ring out of the way, at the same time, I'm becoming more and more worried about the whole thing.

"Hey, Kim?" I grab her attention as I slide into the drivers seat. "You think Joli's really going to go for this, right? That it's not too soon to be taking this step?"

Kim stares at me for a minute, first with an amused, playful look, and then with one that's more serious. She raises an eyebrow at me and gives me a small smile.

"You're really worried about it, Kevin?" Kim pauses, but I don't reply. "Oh my God, you are, aren't you?"

Dammit Kimberly, do not try and get me to admit this.

"I'm not worried about it," I lie, "It's just, uh..."

"You're not worried about it," Kim playfully taps her chin with her finger, "but you're worried about it. Right?"

I sigh grumpily and give Kim this look that says, 'Do you have to bug me about this?' She's making fun of me.

"Kevin, Jolene loves you with all of her heart." Kim places a hand on my upper arm, patting it gently. "You honestly have nothing to worry about. I believe that she will say yes, because there's no one on this Earth that she would rather create a future with than you. You're her everything."

I place the keys in the ignition and turn the car on, then I sit there for a quick moment and let Kim's words sink in. I know that I don't need to worry about this, but I really just don't want to fuck things up.

"Kevin." Kim giggles. "I promise you, it's going to work out the right way. You and Joli are meant to be. Don't doubt yourself! Just trust me."

"... Fuck it." I mumble as I start to drive off. I can hear Kim trying her best not to laugh at me, because I know she's right and she knows that I know that. "Okay. Fine. I'll trust you just this once, Kimberly."

"Have I ever led you astray?" Kim smirks. She doesn't give me a chance to reply before adding, "Didn't think so."

"You can be just as damn cocky and arrogant as your husband, you know that?" I shake my head at Kim and give her a grin. "You two are quite the combo."

"Oh, like you and Joli are any better!" Kim playfully punches my shoulder. "You two are just as bad as we are. In fact, I'd say you two are worse than us!"

"Nah," I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth, "You and Dallas are way worse."

"Nope."

"It's true."

"Not even for a second!"

Now that step five is taken care of, I guess it's almost time to go to the illustrious step six: It's almost time to ask Joli to marry me.

Chapter 77: how do i tell you

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"... Scott." Huh? "Scott." Fuck. "Scott Hall." Ugh. "Scott! Oliver! Hall!"

I love you, Joli, but goddamn, don't yell at me right now.

"Yeah?" I ask as I look at her over my should. I'm laying on my bed, facing the opposite way from her. She's sitting on her and Kev's bed, with a beer in one hand and a smoke in the other. "Hand me one of those."

"What's your deal tonight?" Joli sounds both sad and mad, a terrible combo. "You've been in a shitty mood since we got back to the hotel." I just stare at her for a moment. "Are you okay?"

She hasn't handed me a beer, and I feel like she's not going to.

"I'm fine, Joli. Don't worry about me." I shrug her off and return my attention to the wall in front of me. The low murmur of the television buzzes mindlessly in my ears.

"Are you, though?" Jolene persists. "If something is on you mind, talk to me." It sounds like she's begging me more than anything. "Please, Scott."

"I'm okay, sweetheart. Stop worrying about me. Really, there's no reason to waste your time like that. I'm good." I really wish that she would stop pursuing this conversation, because I don't want to have it.

Jolene doesn't immediately reply, but the next words she says are delivered in such a sad voice that I feel my heart crack in my chest. "Why can't you just talk to me about whatever the fuck is on your mind? We used to tell each other damn near everything, and I swear, it's like I don't even know you anymore."

What do you want me to say, Jolene?

Do you want me to spoil the surprise of Kev's proposal, which is coming in just a few days? Do you want me to tell you about how my heart continues to break each and every time I think about what we could have been?

Or, would you rather I tell you about how utterly fuckin' selfish I am? Maybe that's what you want to know. Maybe, just maybe if I informed you of how shitty I really am, you'll stop worrying about me.

"I'm sorry, Joli." I mutter as I roll over onto my back. I stare up at the ceiling as I try to find the perfect words to tell her. "I guess I'm just having an off day. There's been a lot on my mind recently, and I guess that's really fuckin' with me."

Joli huffs sadly and I hear her shuffle on the bed. She's probably putting her back against the headboard, since she had been sitting in the middle of the bed.

"Is it Eric again?" Joli solemnly questions. "Has he been pulling his usual shit?"

A short, tart chuckle escapes my lips. Honestly, that's not a bad guess. Joli doesn't know how much Eric has done to me, and she doesn't need to know. I think she only know that he's been a prick to me, but I don't know. Fuck, for all I know, she could be aware of everything that's happened between me and him.

However, I really hope that's not the case. Eric has done a lot of shitty things to me, and even though I probably deserved them, she doesn't need to know about it.

Hell, I wish Joli didn't even know about how dark my mind has gotten. I tried so damn hard to shield her from that side of myself, but it seemed like the harder I tried, the more it fuckin' backfired on me.

I guess that's just how life works.

"No, it wasn't him. It wasn't anybody, really, aside from myself." I close my eyes, just to rest. "I've just been thinking a lot."

"What about?" Joli asks cautiously. "Shawn? Kid?" She pauses. "Cody?" Another pause. "Russo? Or Bret?" And another. "Kev?" One more. "Me...?"

I have to sit there for a moment, so that I can once more come up with something to say. I tap my fingers on my chest and hum softly, so that Joli knows I've not fallen asleep.

Shawn and Kid aren't doing the best, but I think they're both doing better than they were. I'm really not sure, because I've not really talked to Shawn recently. Kid? He's killing in the WWF with Paul, and I think he's doing all right.

Cody? Ah, he's doing pretty damn well for a boy who has a piece of shit father who is rarely around, and is usually drunk when he is. A father that pukes his guts out on national television because he's typically drunk at work, too. A father that makes other kids questions make him (Cody) ask what's wrong with his dad, because they saw him stumbling out of the ring before the match even started.

And, it wasn't a selling stumble; it was an, 'I'm too drunk to completely know where the fuck I am' stumble. That's the worst kind, especially considering Cody was used to it. He knows how shitty I am, just like Joli does.

Russo and Bret are annoying as fuck, but they don't really bother me all that much. I mean, I'd probably rather run in front of a speeding train than listen to either of them bitch at me, but they're not as bad as Eric, so they've got that going for them.

But, Joli, I can't really say it isn't about you or Kev, because it is. That may not be the only thing that's been on my mind, but it's the big one.

I'm just so goddamn selfish. How do I tell you, Joli, that I'm just no fuckin' good for you? That I'm just a real scumbag?

I guess that's the real kicker of all of this. I'd never say any of this shit to you, Joli, because you don't need to hear it. I've broken your heart way too much, and the last thing I ever want to do is bring you anymore damage than I have to.

You and Kev are happy together, and you're so fuckin' good for each other. Kev is what you need, because he's everything I'm not.

He'll give you the world while I could only give you, at most, a city. Even then, that's a stretch. Your life with Kev will be leaps and bounds better than anything we could have ever had.

"If I tried to tell you everything on my mind, Joli, I'd probably die before I got a chance to finish." I joke as I roll on over to my side, so that I'm actually facing Joli. I can see now that she's fuckin' down, and it's all on me. I know it is. "I'll be okay. I really will."

That's not a lie, because I know that, eventually, I'll pass up these selfish thoughts and I'll be wholeheartedly excited for my best friends. I know that Joli's going to say 'yes,' because even though Thomas was shitty, Kev isn't. The big guy has his flaws, but fuck, don't we all? I'm one hell of a fuck up.

"You really don't want to talk about any of this, do you?" Joli mutters. I watch as she pulls her legs up to her chest; she then folds her arms across her kneecaps, and she rests her chin on her arms. "Is there anything that I can do to get you to open up to me again?"

Joli looks over at me, and we just stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. I know that I'm only making things worse for her by acting like this, but what can I do? It'd hurt her even more if she knew why I'm being like this.

"We'll be back at that point one day, Joli, I promise you that." I give her a small smile, just so that I can try and reassure her a bit more. "As much as I hate to admit it, I've got a bunch of fuckin' problems that I need to work through. Until I find myself a bit more, I don't know if we'll be able to go back to that level of our friendship."

I know by the crestfallen look on Joli's face that I've hurt her, and that fuckin' stings. It's shitty, yeah, but it's honestly the truth. How can I be that close with her again when I'm such a selfish little prick?

"Is it because of me?" Joli asks with concerned, narrowed eyes. "Did I fuck something up? Because if it's about something I said, chances are-"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jolene. You didn't do a damn thing wrong." I shake my head. "Please, don't ever think you did. My fucked up mind is not your fault. You've never been anything but great to me. This is all on me."

Joli goes silent once more, and I can see the gears turning in her pretty little head. Before she quickly downs the rest of her beer, Joli hits me with, "Do you trust me, Scott?"

It surprises me, and I instantly reply, "Yeah, honey. I do."

"Then let me help you, like you've helped me." Joli gets out of her bed and walks over to mine. She squats down just a little bit, so that she's closer to me.

Everything in my heart tells me to kiss her, but I'm not that much of a fool. Instead, I give Joli a sad grin a pat on the head.

"When I'm ready to talk about it, I'll come to you first, okay? Just like how you came to me first with all of the shit that has fucked you up."

I can see Joli's gaze soften as I say that; then, a smile comes to her face. She bumps my arm with her fist and then she stands up straight.

"I'm holding you to that." Joli tells me as playfully as she can. "If you talk to anyone else first, I'm kicking your ass."

"Go ahead." My grin widens into a more happy one. This woman messes me up. "I'm sure you could."

Joli turns around and makes her way back to the bed, but almost as soon as her ass touches the mattress, the door to our room opens up. Kev comes into sight a couple of moments later with a big plastic bag dangling off of his arm.

"How was the meeting, babe?" Joli asks with a grin. "Shitty as always?"

"Oh, you know it." Kev rolls his eyes. "Russo wouldn't shut his goddamn mouth for five seconds. It was fuckin' annoying."

"I'd say so. He's a fuckin' tool." I shake my head. Russo sucks ass.

"Don't I fuckin' know it." Kev sighs as he shakes his head. He then looks down into the bag on his arm. "All right... Smokes." He mutters as he tosses Joli a pack. She squeals in delight. "Nuts." He almost smacks me in the face with a package of peanuts. "Uh... I don't know, that's most of what I got. And drinks. I got some damn drinks." He then laughs and sits the bag on the desk.

"Thanks, man." I tell Kev as I pop open the peanuts.

"No problem."

Kev grabs himself a beer from the floor on the other side of their bed, so I guess that's where Joli hid them from me. I give Kev a look that asks for one of them, but he just shakes his head and gets on the bed. I guess this means I'm sneaking off to grab one once they head to bed.

I mean, I would say that I don't need one, but that would be a fuckin' joke. I always need some booze.

Hopefully tonight hasn't been a total fuckin' bust, and Joli at least feels a little bit better about me. I don't want say that I just want to get her off my case, but I do.

Ah well, in a few days, Joli's not going to be worried about me, anyway. Once Kev pops the question, that's (rightfully) all that's going to be on her mind.

Chapter 78: let's do it

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

There's something about the chilly Michigan air today that just makes me feel at ease. I'm not sure what it is, or why, but I feel like today is going to be pretty damn nice.

I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact that today is the first of three days that Kev and I have off, and we're spending it all by ourselves out at his house. I mean, I love working and hanging out with our friends, but it's not often that Kev and I have much time to ourselves anymore.

Besides, the longer we're away from WCW, the less we have to deal with our problems. I know WCW is going under and there's nothing we can do about it. I know that Eric is running the company into the ground. I know that Scott is still going through a lot of shit, shit that he's hopefully going to talk to me about in the future.

But for now, I don't have to worry about anything. I'm just going to enjoy a few days off of work with man of my dreams. That sounds perfect to me.

A strong breeze cuts through the air, and I pull the hoodie that I'm wearing closer around me. It's just one of Kev's old hoodies that has 'Detroit' written on it and a picture of some buildings, but it's really warm and it smells just like him, so I love it.

Of course, by the time I'm through with it, it'll smell like peachy smoke, but that's aside the point.

Speaking of smoke, I finish the cigarette that I've been puffing on out here and then put it out in my ash tray. As I look down at the ash tray, I feel a pain in my heart. This happens every time I use this one, but at the same time, it's the reason I love this ash tray.

It's the one Kid got me for my birthday a few years ago.

I rub my thumb across the side of the ash tray before I stand up and make my way back inside. The house is quite a lot warmer than it is outside, obviously, which is nice. But to be fair, unless a breeze comes by, it's really not that cold out.

It's a nice sort of chilly. Or, maybe I'm just weird, where I'm a November baby?

"There you are." Kev greets me with a grin once he notices me walk into the living room. He's been packing up a bag for us, because he's planned everything we're going to do today. "I'll be ready in just a second, babe."

We're going to be out on the four wheeler most of the day, I know that much. That's why he's packing a bag; he doesn't want us to have to come back out to the house until we're done.

I walk behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, just so that I can lean against him. I place a kiss on his back before resting my cheek against it.

"Where are we going first?" I ask as I hug him close to me. "Are we going out by the lake? Or one of the nearby fields?"

"We're going to go anywhere we want to, baby. The world is ours to explore." I feel Kev rustle around for a moment before he turns around in my arms. He leans down and gives me a sweet kiss before he holds a hand out. "Do you want me to put your smokes in the bag?"

"Oh, yeah!" I drop my arms from around Kev before I reach into the pocket of the hoodie I'm wearing and pull out my lighter and my carton. "Thanks."

Kev takes the smokes and lighter out of my hand and then puts them into the bag. He zips the bag up and then he slings it over his shoulder. I'm assuming he's got all kinds of shit in there, like drinks, snacks, and whatever else we'd need.

I don't know, Kev is a lot better at planning things than I am.

"Let me know when you want to head out for dinner later on, okay? I've got a nice little place I want to take you to tonight." Kev tells me as he leads us over to the door. He snags the four wheeler keys and our sunglasses on the way out.

"Will do." I smile up at Kev. He's so thoughtful and charming. I really don't know what I did to deserve him. "You're wanting today to be pretty damn fun, aren't you?"

"It's rare that we get this much home alone." Kev kisses the top of my head and then hands me my sunglasses. "Is there anything wrong with me wanting to be a gentleman?"

He gives me this goofy, teasing grin and it melts my heart. There's no one else that could ever make me feel this way.

"I guess not." I giggle as I slide on my shades. "Who am I to turn down nice food?"

"That's what I though." Kev bumps me playfully with his elbow. "Now come on, let's get on the road."

"Fine by me."

For the next several hours, Kev and I just drive around and enjoy the scenery. Every so often, we get off of the four wheeler to walk around for a little bit, mainly to stretch our legs. I love the way that Michigan looks at this time of year; it's a lot more beautiful than Virginia, but that's not an insult to my state. There's just something about Michigan that draws me in.

It's probably Kev.

"Oh, fuck!" I exclaim as I point to a pile of random animal feces. Kev instantly whips his head around to look at what's going on. "I didn't know Eric followed us all the way out here!"

Kev snickers and looks around for a moment before directing my attention to a tiny little mushroom that is nearby. "Looks like he lost his tiny little dick on the way here, too."

I absolutely lose it and start laughing like a mad woman. Kev inevitably starts laughing, too, and I can't tell if it's because of the jokes about Eric or because I'm making a fool of myself. I can't help it, though!

The best way to a girl's heart is through insulting her mortal enemy.

As the day begins to wind down, Kev and I head out to one last place. He says that we have to go there, and once we start on the path, it occurs to me where we're going.

It's the overlook where we first told each other we loved each other.

Kev parks the four wheeler and I instantly jump off of it. As I walk over near the edge of the hill, I can't keep this dumbass smile off my lips.

"We've come a long way since the first time we came up here, huh?" I look at Kev over my shoulder and notice that he's still at the four wheeler. It looks like he's digging in the bag.

"Sure have." Kev tells me proudly. I see him slip a bottle of water into the pocket of his pants. "Do you want your smokes?"

"Yeah, go ahead and bring them." I take a seat far enough away from the edge that I don't have to worry about sliding over it.I can still see the fuckin' beautiful view though, and that's what matters. Wow.

"Here you go babe." Kev leans over and drops my cigarettes and my lighter in my lap before he takes a seat on a nearby rock. "You're right though, about what you said a moment ago. We really have made a lot of progress since then."

"You've helped me so much, and I don't know if I can ever thank you enough for that." I tell Kev honestly. I sit my lighter and my cigarettes beside of me on the ground. I prop one of my legs up in front of me and I wrap my arms around it, just so that I can lean against it.

"Jolene, I fucking love you, baby. I will always be here for you, whether things are shitty or they're as good as they are right now." Kev leans forward for just a moment, so that he can rub my shoulder. "I'm grateful each and every day that I get to love you."

"You're quite the catch yourself, you know that?" I tilt my head so that I can look over at Kev. "You taught me how to love when I thought such a thing was impossible. Thank you for that."

"You've got to stop thanking me for all of this." Kev chuckles. "Everything I do for you, I do it because I want to. I'm just glad I've been able to help you so much, babe."

I smile at Kev before I drop my arms from around my leg. I stretch out, with my hands behind me on the ground, and then I pick my cigarettes and my lighter up. As soon as I open up my carton, my jaw drops.

Right on top of my cigarettes sits a beautiful black diamond ring. Holy fucking-

"Kev, what's-" I whip my head around to look at Kev, but he's moved from the rock he had been sitting on. I watch as he kneels down beside of me on one leg.

"When we first met back at the beginning of 1992, I had no idea that you would capture my heart the way that you have." Kev holds my left hand in one hand, and the ring in the other. "I love you more than life itself, babe, and the bond that we have is so fuckin' special. I know that this could be a long shot, but I've got to go for it." He takes a deep breath, and I can only watch him with wide eyes. "Jolene Alice Milford, will you marry me?"

I want to say something, but my breath has hitched in my throat; on top of that, I'm not sure what I'd say. My eyes are beginning to burn, and I know I'm on the verge of tears.

"K-Kev, f-fuck, I just-" I begin to stutter like an absolute moron. I don't know what else to do, so I push my cigarettes out of my lap and I wrap my arms tightly around Kev's neck.

He doesn't hesitate for even a moment to hug me back, and as we hold each other, memories of Thomas flood back into my mind. I don't want to think of him, but it's hard not to.

No. Fuck no. I am not going to let that son of a bitch get in the way of this. He is not going to have any control of what happens here.

I bury my face against Kev's neck, and before I know it, tears are streaming from my eyes. Kev rubs my back as I cry on him, and I'm sure he's just wanting to know what I'm going to say. I've been leaving him in suspense.

When I pull back from the hug, I wipe away my tears with the sleeve of the hoodie I've been wearing. I give Kev the purest smile that is inside of my impure little body.

I can tell by the look on Kev's face that he's waiting for me to say something, so I clear my throat and begin to talk.

"Kevin, I love you so much. I think you're absolutely wild for wanting to marry me," I have to laugh, "and I hope you know what you're asking for." He gives me a smile. "When I left Thomas, I thought marriage was a total sham and that I'd never take another man's last name." I then give Kev a long, passionate kiss. "Let's do it. Let's get married."

Kev just stares at me for a moment, and I think he's in shock. I don't blame him if he is, because I don't think I'm really comprehending what's happening, either. Once reality hits Kev, he slides my ring onto my left ring finger and stands up; he grabs my left hand and pulls me up with ease.

"You're serious about this?" Kev asks giddily. Goddammit, I love this man. "You're fuckin' serious, right?"

"I'm as serious as you are." I tell him with a grin.

"We're getting married." Kev says more to himself than anyone. "We're getting married." He repeats, this time to me. I nod in amusement. "Holy fuck!" Kev exclaims happily. "We're getting fucking married!"

I watch my babe physically showcase his excitement as I grab my smokes off of the ground and light one up. As I smoke, I look down at the beautiful ring on my finger. I love it dearly, and Kev did an amazing job picking it out. It's perfect.

Once he's calmed down a little bit, Kev wraps an arm around my shoulders and looks over the hill with me. My heart has never felt more full.

"I am scared about this, just so you know." I tell Kev as I take my last puff on my smoke. "My last marriage was a train wreck, and I'm still suffering because of one man's horrible actions. But, I trust you. I will always trust you."

"I'll never make you regret that." Kev squeezes me close as he says that, and I believe him. I genuinely do. "What do you say we go get us some dinner now, babe?"

"Sounds great to me." I smile up at Kev. He leans down and pecks my lips before leading us back over to the four wheeler.

I drop my cigarettes and my lighter back into our bag before flinging it over my shoulder and climbing onto the four wheeler. I hold tightly onto Kev as he gets on and begins driving us away.

On the way home, my mind spins at a million miles an hour. I'm really getting married again, aren't I? Kev actually wants to spend the rest of his life with me. Holy fuck. I can't believe this is actually happening.

I guess I'm going to be Jolene Alice Milford Nash, huh? I like it! It's got a nice ring to it.

Chapter 79: this lovestruck fool

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

Every time I glance down at the ring on Joli's left hand, I notice that my heart beat speeds up. It makes me happy, because it's proof that the woman I love more than anything else in this world is going to be mine forever. It's the perfect promise that Joli and I are always going to keep.

It's honestly mind-blowing to think about, and I keep expecting someone to smack me and wake me up from this picture-perfect dream I'm living in. It seems like it's impossible that life is really this good for me, but fuck, this is reality.

Jolene is going to be my wife.

I don't think she noticed it, but when I asked her to marry me, I was fuckin' terrified. I just felt it in my soul that she was going to shoot me down and that things were going to turn sour, but none of that happened. Everything went well.

Joli's nervous about it, but I can tell that she's completely certain about her decision. My babe really does want to marry me, and she's looking forward to our future together. It's perfect.

I glance down at my little Joli, who is cuddled up against my arm. We're on a plane right now, because we're on our way our next Nitro taping. Although Nitro isn't until tomorrow, I have to be there for a creative meeting tonight.

It sucks, but there's not anything we can do about it. It's all part of the job. They didn't cut into my proposal time, so I'm not too upset about it.

Anyway, fuck WCW. I'm only concerned about the beautiful gal that's drooling on my bicep.

Joli's been tossing and turning and her hair is all out of sorts. That's going to aggravate the ever living fuck out of her when she wakes up, but come on, she's way too cute right now.

I'd love to take a nap myself, but really, I'm not tired enough to. I'm just going to relax until the plane touches down and we head towards my meeting.

I lean my head back against the painfully uncomfortable headrest on my seat and direct my gaze to the nearby window. This plan ride shouldn't take too long; we'll be at the airport before dark.

When is Joli going to want to start planning for the wedding, I wonder? We just got engaged, but there's a lot that goes into something like that. It's going to take a while to get everything in order, so it's probably better that we start that sooner rather than later.

At the same time though, when should we get married? This year is almost over, so it'll probably be 2000 before we get hitched. Hopefully that Y2k bug or whatever the fuck it is doesn't wipe the world out before Joli and I get married.

That'd really suck.

God, Joli's going to look so beautiful as she walks down the aisle. I don't care what dress she picks out, because no matter what she wears, she's going to look gorgeous. I'm going to need a lot of help to make sure that I look up to par with Joli, but I know she's going to look a million times better than I ever could.

Paul and Dallas are going to have be my tuxedo guys, because they're probably the only two that would be able to help me. Kid would pick something ridiculous, and so would Scott, for that matter. Kimberly's going to be too busy with Joli to even begin to think about helping me out, and besides, isn't it the job of the men to pick the tux out?

Oh fuck, I'm going to have to pick out my groomsmen too, aren't I?

Scott's got to be my best man, right? As long as he's in a good mental state at the time, the role is his. For all of the shit Scott and I have gone through over the years, he's still my best friend and he's still my brother. If I didn't trust him, I wouldn't have told him that I planned on marrying Joli in the first place.

Paul and Dallas are definitely going to be groomsmen, too. How could I not include those guys? They're the two of the coolest motherfuckers ever. Kid has to be there, too, because it's Kid.

Ideally, Shawn would be a groomsman, too; I guess that all depends on whether or not I can reach him.

Wait, how many groomsmen do I need? Is it supposed to be an equal number to the bridesmaids? Because if that's the case, I won't need many at all.

Obviously, Kimberly has to be Joli's maid of honor. There's not a doubt in my mind that's who she's going to choose, and there's no one else I'd want her to choose over Kim. Those two girls are as close as they could possibly be, and I'm glad that they are. Kim's been Joli's girl since day one, and vice-versa.

I'm sure Joli will choose Paula as a bridesmaid, too, because it seems like they're becoming closer all the time. I guess the only good that came out of Joli's chaotic high school reunion was the fact that she and Paula got to meet up again and begin whatever friendship they're blossoming together.

I like Paula, I really do. She's a crazy mark, sure, but she's slowly mellowing out. It's just hard for me to imagine myself in her shoes, since I never originally planned on going into professional wrestling; it's just something that happened.

Don't get me wrong, there's no where else I'd work. Wrestling is great and it's helped me not only meet the love of my life, but the best friends I could ever fuckin' ask for. But, at the end of the day, it's just a job. A man has to provide, and I'm lucky I get to (usually) have so much fun at work.

Aside from Kim and Paula though, what females does Joli have to make bridesmaids? That sounds like such a dick thing to say, but it's a genuine question. Through no fault of her own, my babe doesn't socialize much. When she does socialize, ladies normally don't have good impressions of her at first.

Whether that's because of Joli's charm easily working on men or the fact that she can have a bitchy look on her face when she doesn't mean to is open to discussion.

I guess when it comes time for the wedding, it is possible that Joli is closer to some of the other Nitro Girls. Fyre and Chae are the ones she's been hanging out with a lot, right? Maybe they'll become close enough by the time we get hitched that Joli will want them to be bridesmaids, too.

Joli could also choose Elizabeth. I don't think they're very close at all, but Joli's mentioned several times that she wants to be friends with Liz.

Maybe Joli will pull a random name out of the bag, like Madusa? She's cool.

Ah, I don't know. I'm sure Joli will figure it out. She always finds a way to make things work, and I'm sure her lack of social skills will be more of a speed bump than anything.

Huh. Now that I think about it, Joli could just put Kid in drag and have him be a bridesmaid. That's a horrifying image, but I wouldn't put it past my girl. He'd probably be fine with doing it, too.

We also need to decide where we're having the weddding, because I don't have the slightest clue where we should do it. I like the idea of doing it in Detroit, because that's my city. What kind of man would I be if I didn't love my hometown? Detroit has been nothing but good to me.

I know Joli won't want to do it in her hometown, but maybe Norfolk is an option in her mind?

Fuck, that reminds me, we're going to have figure out where we're going to live. Does she want to move in with me? Or does she want us to find a place of our own?

I like the idea of us keeping our houses we currently have and using them as vacation spots, or something of that sort. Michigan and Virginia are far enough away from each other that they could be nice little vacation homes, or places we could go for a getaway weekend.

I'm not sure where we'd move to, though. Florida, maybe? Florida is nice. Hot summers, lots of beaches, and no fuckin' snow that could freeze my nuts off. The snow is nice, sure, but I doubt Joli would complain about not typically having to deal with it.

She'd be able to go out to smoke in December without a single worry about getting cold. Isn't that all my babe has ever wanted?

At this point though, I guess it doesn't matter as much where we make our true home at. If all goes according to plan, it'll be several years before Joli and I have enough of a break to spend most of our time at home. Bar injury and suspension, we're probably going to be in this crazy pro wrestling business for a while longer.

Well, I know I'm going to be here for quite some time. I don't think I'll be giving wrestling up for at least, fuck, 10 more years? 15? I'm only 40 years old, and even though I've had my fair share of injuries over the years, I can still go like a goddamn champ.

Joli, though, I'm not too sure about. She's almost 33, and since she's not a wrestler, she could leave at any time she wanted. The industry is always going to need talented talkers, and my girl can make anyone she accompanies to the ring look like a million fuckin' bucks. Jolene has an eye for talent in this business, and she knows how to cut a promo better than just about anyone. I know for a fact that she's helped me out a hell of a lot.

Really though, I don't see Joli leaving anytime soon, not unless she gets kicked out of the business. Eric is doing his damnedest to get her to quit, but I don't believe my babe will give him that satisfaction. If anything, Joli will continue being a manager just to piss him off. She's all kinds of petty, and I love that about her.

Joli must know that I'm thinking about her, because she starts to stir in her seat. I glance down at my love and watch as she slowly begins to wake up.

"Morning, sleepyhead." I place a kiss on her forehead before I brush a few strands of her dark hair out of her face. "Enjoy your nap?"

"Fuck yeah," Joli mutters as she tries to blink the sleep out of her eyes, "Did you sleep any, babe?"

"Not a wink." I can't help this grin from forming on my face. Fuck, she's adorable.

"Ah, cool." Joli's just barely awake. She rubs her eyes a couple of times, and then she quickly pulls her hands away from her face while exclaiming, "Fuck!" I can tell by the way that she looks over her hands that she expects there to be makeup on them. "Oh, yeah. Okay."

I guess it finally clicked in my girl's sleepy mind that she left the house with a 'naked' face today.

Joli soon cuddles back up to me and begins to watch the clouds pass by out the window, but I'm busy just watching as she slowly drifts back off into sleep. It's funny to me that she woke up for just a moment before falling back asleep.

But, that's fine with me. In a couple of hours, we'll reach our destination and I'll wake her up, if she's not already gotten up by that point. Until then, I guess this lovestruck fool will return to his wild thoughts.

Chapter 80: that's one battle that's been won

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

When we were all called into a meeting room at the fuckin' crack of dawn this morning, I don't think that any of us could have expected to receive the news that we did. Really, as I sit here with Kev on one side and Konnan on the other, I'm just fuckin' speechless.

"... on top of the elimination of the title WCW President and the removal of Eric Bischoff from his management position," Harvey Schiller - aka TBS' Sports Chief drones, "Bill Busch shall become Senior Vice President of WCW."

Harvey pauses for a moment, so that his words can sink in with the WCW staff. The room goes quiet, and I can tell that just about everyone here is as shocked by this as I am.

I feel like everything is happening so quickly, and it's honestly a lot to comprehend.

Is Eric really gone? Like, is he out of the fuckin' company? He's at least out of power, which is a blessing if I've ever seen one. I look over at Eric, who is seated beside of where Harvey is standing. It's hard to read Eric, because he's just got this emotionless look on his face. Bill Busch, Vince Russo, and Ed Ferrara are all sitting in that area, too.

As Harvey sits down and Bill goes to take his place, I lean forward on the table so that I can spare a quick glance at Joli. Like anyone would expect, her eyes are wide and there's a grin a mile wide on her lips.

She's fuckin' living for this moment.

"Hello, everyone." Bill gives us all a small smile. "It'll be a pleasure to help lead you all." He's awkward as fuck about all of this. "For any of you that were unaware, I was WCW's main accountant before this promotion. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do to help all of you and WCW."

Eric glares at Bill for just a brief second, and I hear Joli snicker. It's pretty damn funny.

"As I'm sure all of you are aware, WCW has been struggling over the past year. The World Wrestling Federation has been steadily beating us in the ratings, and as a company, we are in dire need of a revitalization. Over the next few months, I'm going to be implementing several changes to help get us back on track as a company."

"What kind of changes are you thinking about?" Harvey chimes in. He flashes Bill a supportive smile.

"Effective today, Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara shall lead the WCW booking committee." What?! "This position was previously held by-"

"Why are you promoting them to head of creative?" Kev interrupts. I can tell by the look on his face that he's pissed, but really, who can blame him? Vince fucking Russo of all people is kicking him down the creative hierarchy. "That's my job."

"We're just trying to re-invent the creative division for WCW." Bill is trying to mellow Kev out, but it's really not working. "You'll still be apart of the creative team, but from now on, Russo and Ferrara will be leading it. I hope you can respect this decision."

"I'm just not sure why I wasn't consulted on this." Kev scoffs. "That's my damn job that is being taken away."

"Ah, hush up over there, bro." Russo tells Kev with a shit-eating grin. "It'll be fine. Like he said over there,you'll still be on the team. You weren't completely cut."

"I still should have had this brought up to me beforehand." Kev's voice sounds venomous. "This is bullsh-"

"Let's not argue, gentleman." Harvey clears his throat. "Continue as you were, Bill."

As Bill goes on his spiel about being our new senior VP, Harvey keeps flickering his gaze between Kev and Russo. There's so much tension in this room that you could cut it with a damn knife.

Eric's completely silent through this whole thing, and I'm really curious as to what he did to piss the higher ups off. Since he's here right now, he's probably not been fired, but it seems like he's been severely demoted.

Did Joli's fight against him finally pay off? She's been doing everything in her power to knock him down a peg, but did she help make this happen? Joli's tried her damnedest to rally all of the ladies against him, even though 99 percent of them are too afraid to do anything.

Or fuck, did Eric piss someone else off? Maybe he finally said or did something to 'Billionaire Ted' that the head honcho didn't quite like? I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case, because Eric has been pushing his luck with Ted since the Monday Night Wars began.

That would explain why Eric's so fuckin' quiet. If he pissed Ted off, he's probably wanting to keep as low of a profile as possible, so that he can get his old job back. I mean, his old title is gone, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's coming after our new 'senior vice president.' Bill will be lucky if he keeps that job.

Eventually, our meeting comes to a close. People begin to leave the room as quickly as possible, but our little group plans to hang back for a minute. I know Kev wants to talk to Russo, and I'm sure Joli wants to throw down with Eric.

"The three of you would be better off just leaving like the rest of us." Bret comments as he walks by. "It's not too fun to be screwed out of your job though, is it?" He doesn't even give us a chance to respond, as he just keeps going.

Pussy.

"He's probably right, to some degree." Dallas chimes in. He had been sitting beside of Kimberly, who had been sitting on Joli's other side. "I don't think talking to Russo will go well for you, Kevin."

"I know." Kev chuckles dryly. "It's not going to go well at all, but I'm pissed. If he wants the job, he can fuckin' have it. I just want to know why no one talked to me about this before today."

"You've got every reason to be upset." Kimberly agrees. "It's not fair."

"Eric's out of power though, so that counts for something, right?" Joli asks gleefully. She's so adorably excited about this. "Bitch got what was coming to him."

"Well, I certainly don't want to be apart of this train wreck." Dallas tells us jokingly. He pats Kev's back and then grabs Kimberly's hand. "Kim and I are going to go get something to eat. We'll meet up with you fuckers later tonight."

"Later, guys!" Joli waves them off. Kev and I mutter farewells to the couple as they pass by.

In what seems like the blink of an eye, we're left alone in the room with Eric, Russo, and Ferrara. Ferrara sense the atmosphere in the room and he immediately leaves. I can't say I blame him, because I'm not sure I want to see this showdown.

"How long have you known that you were getting promoted?" Kev asks Russo as we walk over to them. Russo has this smug look on his face, but Eric remains expressionless. "A while?"

"At least..." Russo hums to himself as he pretends to think, "I don't know bro, at least three weeks."

"Three?" Kev scoffs. "There's no fucking way. Busch is the one that did this, and I know that it must've been a last-minute decision to demote this prick." He motions towards Eric with his hand. "I'd say you've known for more like a week."

"Maybe, maybe." Russo smirks. "But who's to say?"

"How's it feel to be a simple little peon again, Eric?" Joli asks in a sing-song tone. "It must suck to have to suffer because of a decision that someone else made." She pretends to wipe away tears from beneath her eyes. "You poor thing."

"Hey, Eric's not done with this company, are you, bro?" Russo nudges Eric with his elbow. "Huh?"

"I'm not." Eric sounds as bland as Bret. "I'll be back to where I once was, you wait and see."

"Like hell you will be." Joli scoffs. "There's no fuckin' way you're going back up."

"You really need to watch your mouth, Milford." Russo's voice suddenly turns dark. "You're really in no position to be picking a fight with Eric here." He then clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "You're really not as high up in this company as you like to think you are."

"I might not be, but, aside from Steve Borden and a couple of others, I'd like you to find someone who has given more of their soul to WCW." Joli shakes her head. "Just because you," She glares at Russo, "are higher up than my fiancé in the creative latter, don't think for a second that I'm going to respect you or listen to you anymore than I have to."

"I don't know if you remember anything about our days working together in McMahon's playground, but Kev and I aren't really two people you want to fuck with." I point to me and Kev with my thumb as I talk. "And if you fuck with Joli, Russo, you fuck with us."

"Whatever you say." Russo snickers at me. He then shamelessly checks Joli out before turning to Eric. "You were right. She is just a nice piece 'a ass."

Those are basically fighting words.

Kev grabs Russo's shirt collar and I hold Joli back against my chest with my arms around her waist, so that she can't get ahold of Russo or Eric. I just don't want her to get in trouble again, especially when neither of them are even remotely worth it.

Honestly though, I'd love to knock their lights out. They're both complete pieces of shit.

"I would love nothing more than to smash both of your heads together right now, but I know you're both little bitch-boys that would cause an even bigger scene because of it." Kev shoves Russo back as he lets go of his collar.

"I tried to have a conversation with you bro, but your bitch got out of hand." Russo nonchalantly smooths out his clothes. "Nothin' personal."

"There are only two bitches around here, and they're the ones in front of us." I chime in. I glance between Eric and Russo, neither of whom are amused.

"I'm leaving." Eric mutters coldly. Not talking to us is smart; I guess he really is trying to get back up in the ranks. He walks past me to leave, and Joli flips him off as he goes.

At this point, I let my arms drop from around Joli's waist. She's settled down to the point where I wouldn't have to worry about her picking a physical fight.

"Shouldn't you be following him?" Kev asks Russo. "Or is he supposed to follow you? I guess he's got to be the one that's doing the ass-kissing now, since you've got a more important job than him."

"I'm not continuing this conversation." Fuck, Russo's voice is so aggravating. "If you little shits weren't so damn over, you wouldn't even still be in the company."

"Enjoy my fiancé's job, Vince!" Joli coos as Russo begins to walk away from us. "You fucking dick." She mutters as he steps out the door.

As soon as Russo is out the door, Kev releases a long sigh. He runs a hand through his hair as he looks between me and Joli.

"That went well." I comment jokingly. "I know I feel reassured by having Vince Russo leading our creative team."

"This company is on the fast track to the grave." Kev shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He shrugs his shoulders in defeat before adding, "I tried. I fuckin' tried."

"At this point, all we can do is hope for the best." Joli looks towards the door. "At least Eric isn't control of anything anymore. I know a lot of ladies that will be relieved to know that."

"You're one of them." I smile and ruffle Joli's hair. "This is good for you too, Joli."

"It is." Kev pulls one of Joli's hands up to his lips, so that he can place a kiss on it. "That's one battle that has been won for now."

Russo leading our creative team is going to be a mess, but Eric isn't going to be able to ruin any lives for a few months. That's a true fuckin' blessing.

Chapter 81: eric's absence

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

The wind blowing across my face as Kev, Scott, and I speed down the highway is rather relaxing. Today's been one of the hotter October days this month, and this whole car ride hasn't been too bad.

I'm in the backseat with my head dangling partially out of the window. My right hand is just toying with my lighter, just so that I have something to play with. Scott's driving and Kev is snoring in the passenger seat.

My poor babe is worn out today, and I can't blame him. Last night, after the Thunder taping, Kev was stuck at a creative meeting with Russo and Ferrara and the other jabronis on the team. They were changing up plans for Halloween Havoc, and goddamn, I don't see why.

Things were okay before Russo and Ferrara got their grubby little hands all over the show, but what do I know? I'm just a manager. I'm a 'piece of ass.'

Dumbasses.

Ever since Eric was taken out of power a couple of weeks ago though, I feel as though the air backstage has been a lot more clear. I'm not choking on my breath whenever a certain piece of shit comes along, because he's not there to pollute the airways. That's pretty nice, honestly.

I don't believe that he's been completely taken out of WCW, because he'll always have a hand on Ted Turner's balls. He might not be in management anymore, but he's still somewhere in the company, waiting for his perfect opportunity to get back up the ranks to come along.

At the same time, I wonder if that opportunity will ever come for the little bitch. Not because he's not cunning or sneaky or damn good at getting what he wants, but because our fucking company is falling straight into the depths of hell.

Goddamn, I don't know how I feel about that. WCW needs to make some serious changes or we're going to lose everything; I'm talking about changes that are bigger than changing our creative team up.

Getting rid of Eric was a great first step, because the way that he's been dropping Turner's money has been a big part of the problem. WCW has been shooting through its funds to get all of these 'big names' but at the end of the day, it's just really not been working for us.

Ha! Do I really have any room to talk, when Ted Turner's money is going to be paying for my wedding? I guess not. From a personal standpoint, I appreciate the money that Eric has moved from Ted's pockets to mine and Kev's, but from a business standpoint, it's probably not necessary.

Man, I'm going to be married again before too much longer aren't I? Huh. That's something I never thought I'd be able to say.

"Scott." I lightly punch the back of his shoulder as I sit back up in my seat.

"What's up?" Scott whispers in response. He quickly glances at me in the rear-view mirror.

"Pull over at the next gas station you see. I need smokes and I've gotta go." I tell him. I sit my lighter in my lap and I reach for my cigarette carton, only to realize it's not in the seat where I left it. "Motherfucker..." I mutter as I begin my hunt my smokes.

"Gotcha." Scott tells me. "There should be an exit sometime soon, so you'll be good."

"Awesome." I quietly reply. I'm almost in the floor by this point, and I still can't find my cigarettes. Goddammit.

I search and I search but I'm still unable to find my cigarettes, which is annoying as all fuck. I'll find that pack later, I don't have any worries about that, I just want to smoke right now. Oh well.

Am I sad that WCW is going under? I guess so. This is where I've built my career, and because of WCW, I've met the most important people in my life. If I hadn't ever worked for World Championship Wrestling, who knows where I'd be?

I guess I've still got this foolish hope that Eric's absence will be able to at least help us pull ourselves out of this horrible gutter we're stuck in. Of course, if he manages to get back up in the ranks as soon as we're done, what's it matter? We'll inevitably end up back in this same situation.

Ah, maybe I'm putting too much thought into this today. I guess something has to occupy my thoughts on this car ride.

It's time to go back to relaxing in the cool air. Yeah, that's a lot more fun.

The cool wind chills my face once more as I lean partially out of the window. I'd much rather be carefree like this than worrying about the struggles of the company, especially when I can't find my cigarettes.

Before I know it, we're pulling into a gas station. Scott parks the car and I place a kiss on Kev's cheek before I get out of the car. My poor babe is still completely out of it.

Scott follows me out of the car and he walks into the gas station with me. He's got his hands in his pockets as he walks and he looks rather clearheaded today, which is always great.

"You want me to take over the rest of the drive?" I ask as I walk towards the bathroom. Scott trails behind me, and we stop at a rack of magazines near the back of the store.

"Ah, it's cool." Scott waves me off. "I can handle it."

"You sure?" I prod. "I really don't mind to drive the rest of the way."

"If you drive us there, we won't make it until midnight." Scott teases, poking fun at the fact that I like to drive safely.

"I'm sorry that I'm not some sort of road barbarian like you Kliq boys." I playfully smack Scott's shoulder, something that makes him laugh. "Just think about it, okay?"

"Fine, fine." Scott shakes his head with a smile on his face. I laugh along with him as I turn to head to the bathroom.

Once I've finished my business in the restroom, I head back out into the bigger part of the gas station. I find Scott standing near the check-out counter, with a couple of bags in his hands.

"We can head out, unless there's anything else you'd like to get." Scott tells me. He holds up one of his bags and shakes it to show me that he's picked up a few things. "I grabbed your smokes for you."

"Thanks." I give him a grin and then we head out of the building. I can see that my babe is still asleep in the passenger seat. "So, do you want me to drive, or would you rather do it?"

"If you really want to do it, go right ahead. I might catch some z's in the backseat." Scott stretches his arms up above his, and I can hear his bones pop. "But, I can still drive if you want me to."

"It's fine." I tell him with a small laugh. "Just hand me my smokes and my lighter and I'll be good. Sleep all you want."

"Sounds like a deal to me." I can see a little bit of light in Scott's eyes, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't make my heart skip a beat.

I just want him to be happy, you know? To be the carefree, goofy, cheerful Scott Hall that I know is buried deep inside of him. The man that originally stole my heart - the same heart that the current Scott Hall has shattered time and time again.

When we get in the car, Scott hands me my cigarettes out of the bag and my lighter out of the floor. I light myself a cigarette and roll down the window before I begin taking off towards our next city.

It looks like we're still a couple of hours away, but that's fine. We've got plenty of time to make it, and we will arrive on schedule, regardless of what Scott likes to say about my driving.

Eric not being around as much will definitely be a good thing for Scott, because really, Scott will be able to relax a little bit. I mean, Eric had put him down so much that he barely had any grasp on his self esteem. That's still a huge problem for Scott, but Eric being out of the picture (at least for the most part) will help him grow.

I still wish that Scott would tell me everything that Eric has done to him, because I know that there has to be a lot that he hasn't told me about. That day that I got suspended really opened my eyes up to the relationship between the two of them.

Goddamn, Eric Bischoff is such a fucking piece of shit.

I've already noticed that the Nitro Girls are benefiting from Eric's absence, which makes me quite happy. I wish more than anything that I could take credit for Eric getting canned (from his management position), but I can't. My constant complaints might have helped the case, but at the end of the day, it was a decision that TNT made mainly on their own.

Really though, how could anyone not see what a tool Eric is?

Is it his ugly mug that I've heard way too many chicks call attractive? Because really, he's not got looks going for him.

Or is it his charm? The motherfucker can be quite suave to the unsuspecting victim; everyone has been fooled by him at some point or another, myself included.

It's probably just the intimidating way that he carries himself whenever he feels threatened by someone (or something, like the WWF). I mean, I'm personally not afraid of him, but I understand how easy it could be to find him terrifying.

That's the problem that the Nitro Girls had, and I'm certain that's the problem Scott had as well.

God, Eric is just so irritating. I'm so fuckin' glad that I won't have to see his shitty face for at least a few more weeks. When I do have to see him again, it'll probably be so nausea-inducing that I'll empty my stomach on the spot.

Actually, never mind. That one was too far. I'm too hungry to think about losing food like that.

By the time we reach our destination, Kev has somewhat woken up. He's leaning groggily against the car door and he's watching the buildings we pass with half-lidded eyes. For such a badass, Kev can be damn adorable sometimes.

"All right boys, we've made it." I declare rather loudly as I put the car in park outside of the hotel. "Time to get your sleepy asses up."

"But what if I don't want to?" Scott whines, adjusting himself in his seat so that he's even more propped against his door. "I'm," He yawns, "I'm tired, Joli."

"We're at the hotel, doofus." I shake my head as I pull the keys out and slip them into my pocket. I place a kiss on Kev's upper arm as I get out of the vehicle.

Kev gets out of the car as well, but Scott's still laying on his door. I do the only natural thing that comes to mind, which is open his door up so that he falls out of it.

"Shi-Fuck!" Scott exclaims in alarm as he nearly plummets onto the concrete. His seat belt saved his ass there. "Joli, what the actual fuck?!"

"Damn, babe." Kev laughs as he yawns. "That's the kind of shit you pull on Kid."

I hope you're doing well right now wherever you're at, Kid. "He wouldn't get up."

"You're so mean to me, goddamn." Scott huffs as he places a hand over his chest. "I could've died."

"You'll be okay, champ." I giggle as I walk over to the trunk of the vehicle. "Let's go get our room for the night."

WCW may be going downhill, but that's another problem for another day. For now, I'm just going to relish in the fact that Eric is gone.

Chapter 82: our crazy family

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

When it comes to wedding planning, there's a lot that has to be done. It's take a lot of time to completely figure out all of the details for your big day, and the sooner you can start working on it, the better.

I watch as Joli scribbles down all sorts of different categories on the notebook that she's got on her lap. We're laying in her bed and we're working on getting everything sorted out.

"All right," Joli mutters as she writes down the last category, "Where do you want to have this?"

"Fuck, I don't know." I mutter thoughtfully as I start racking my brain. "Do you have anywhere in mind?"

Joli let's out a hum as she taps her pen on the top of her paper. She's trying to come up with the perfect place as well.

"Do you want to do it in Michigan?" Joli asks me with a raised brow. "Or would you rather do it here in Virginia?"

"Have you got a specific place around here that you'd like to use?" Joli shakes her head. I think for a moment longer, before an image of the beautiful beaches down in Florida comes to mind. "How about we do it in Florida? There are all sorts of nice ass beaches down there, and we could rent one of those for the day."

"That'd be nice!" Joli grins. "We can do it in the summer, and it'll be hot as fuck, but that's okay."

"We could have a night wedding." I suggest. "It'd still look really damn nice that way, and it wouldn't be as hot."

"Yes!" Joli exclaims happily. Goddamn, she's so adorable. "We'll do that. I like it."

All right, I guess that takes care of part of that for now.

"We've got a couple of shows down in Florida in a couple of weeks, so we'll go look around and the beaches when we're down there. We can pick the perfect one out then." I tell Joli as I sit up in bed. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and she cuddles in closer to my side.

"Sounds great to me." Joli nods, making proper notes on her paper. I'm glad she's keeping up with all of this shit for us, because God knows I'd do a horrible job with it. "Let's see..." She scans her categories. "Flower girl?"

My initial reaction is to say we don't need one, but right as I open my mouth to talk, a certain little girl flashes into my mind. "What about Paula's daughter?"

"Oh, shit!" Joli beams. "Yes! Janice would be perfect." I watch as she scribbles Janice's name down on the paper. "You think she'd be up for it?"

"Considering how big of a mark her mother is, I'm sure she'll fuckin' jump at the opportunity." I have to laugh. Paula's a sweet girl, but I have to give her a hard time.

"You're probably right about that." Joli snickers. "Janice it is."

"All right, speaking of Paula, who do you want for your side of things?" I think that was the perfect transition. I can see the gears working in Joli's mind as she thinks.

"Kimmy's definitely my maid of honor, and Paula's got to be a bridesmaid." I didn't expect anything different. "As for the rest of the bridesmaid, I don't really know. That's something I'm really going to have to think about."

"That's understandable. Just choose whoever you want to, babe." I kiss the side of her head.

"I do know one other person I want in there, and I have a certain role for him. I just need to see if it's something he'd be up for doing." Joli flicks the top of the pen a couple of times as she looks up at me.

"What?" I'm lost.

Joli smiles nervously up at me, and I could spend the rest of the night just looking into her eyes. "Do you think that Dallas would walk me down the aisle?"

I try to not sell my shock, but I can tell my Joli's reaction that I do a poor job of that. I really shouldn't be surprised, but I guess it just caught me off-guard. Dallas walking my girl down the aisle makes perfect sense.

"I'm sure he'd be down for it." I honestly tell Joli. "Just talk to him about it whenever you get the chance."

Fuck, Dallas is going to be a mess at our wedding. He's going to be walking with Joli and settle her down while he's fighting back his own tears. Dallas in an emotional man, so I doubt he'll have any problems shedding a few tears for his little sister.

Kim's going to cry too, isn't she? Jesus fuck. Paula too, I'm sure. Joli's definitely going to cry some, and fuck, I can't say I won't have some water running out of my eyes.

"We're really going through with this, babe." I have to pull Joli close for just a moment. I love this woman so goddamn much. "Can you believe this? We're going to get married."

"We are." Jolene giggles as she wraps her slender little arms around my side. Her notebook has fallen onto the bed beside of her. Joli squeezes me for just a quick second before relaxing against me. "It's crazy to think about, but I wouldn't have it any other way. You're the only man in this world that I want to give my everything to. I love you so much, Kevin."

I pull Joli up and over, so that she's able to sit on my lap. Without much thought at all, I cup her cheeks in my hands and bring her in for a deep, loving kiss.

It doesn't take long for things to become spicy, because I genuinely love this woman so very, very much and I know that she shares my feelings. I slip my tongue into her mouth with ease, and fighting her tongue against mine for a hot minute, Jolene pulls back. I can tell by the look in her eyes that she wants to continue, but instead of putting her hands on the hem of my shirt like I hoped she would, Jolene scoots back over to her side of the bed.

"We've still got stuff we need to figure out." Joli tells me as she clears her throat. She's just a little bit flustered.

My cock has already begun to harden at this point, so I sneak a hand over to Joli and place it on her left breast, since that's the one closest to me. I hold it over the shirt, and as I rub it and try to work her nipple, I send Joli a smirk.

"Goddammit Kevin," Jolene mutters in such a sexy little tone as she squeezes her legs together, an obvious sign that her lower half is tingling. "We are trying to plan for our wedding."

"Yeah, I know." I reply as I lean in closer to Joli. I place a hand on the side of her head and pull her in closer to me, so that I can whisper right in her ear. "But we can take a break for just a moment, right?"

I move my hand that's on Joli's breast under her shirt, so that the only thing coming between us is her bra. As I rub the lacy, thin fabric, I can hear Joli softly trying to stifle her moans.

Per usual, Joli and I end up fucking. I mean, it's what we do. I swear to God up in heaven that there is no woman that could ever satisfy me in either a sexual or emotional sense the way that Jolene does. My babe is the only one for me.

While smoking her post-sex cigarette, Jolene grabs her notebook and pen back and places them on her lap.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" I ask with a smile as I begrudgingly force myself out of bed. "Because I love you a lot, Jolene."

"I love you too, Kev." Joli blows me a kiss, and I fuckin' chuckle. She's great.

"Do you want any wine?" It's a dumb question, but it's one worth asking.

Naturally, Joli doesn't turn the booze down. I head to the bathroom and wash myself off before slipping on a pair of boxer and some shorts. It's a little chilly tonight, so I grab the long-sleeved shirt I had been wearing before we fucked and I slide that on, too.

When I return to Joli's bedroom with two glasses on wine in hands, I see my girl sitting on the edge of her bed with her back towards me. She hasn't put any clothes on yet, but she's got the blanket wrapped completely around her.

"I've got the wine, babe." I tell her, mainly to announce that I've made it back. When Joli whips her head around, I see that she's on the phone. "Oh."

"Hold on, Kim, Kev's back." I hear Joli say as I walk over to the bed. That makes sense, that she's talking to Kimberly. "Go get Dally and I'll put you guys on speakerphone."

Is she going to ask Dallas about walking her down the aisle?

I sit my glass down on my nightstand as Joli fixes the way she's sitting on the bed. She places the phone in the middle of the bed and puts it on speakerphone, and then I hand her a glass of wine. Joli and I clink our wine glasses together as we listen to Dallas and Kimberly fumble around on the other line.

"Joli? Kev?" There's Dallas. "You guys still there?"

"We're here, brother." I tell him as I make myself comfortable. I wrap one arm around my girl while my other hand holds my wine.

This is the fuckin' life.

"What's up?" Dallas asks with a laugh. "Kim said that you wanted to talk to me, Joli?"

"Why would she tell you something as foolish as that?" Joli's wearing a grin that's got to be a mile wide. I can hear Kimberly giggling on the other end.

"Fine!" Dallas clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "I guess I'll just go then."

"Stay around, dummy." I have to laugh as I talk. "Joli's got something important to ask."

"What?" I can hear the confusion and concern in Dally's voice. "What is it, sis?"

Joli's gaze softens as she realizes that Dallas is worried, and she quickly assures him that it's nothing bad. Dallas just tells her to shoot him straight, and to let him know what's on her mind.

"So, of course, Kevin and I are getting married soon. We've not set a specific date yet, but we're still working everything out at this point." Joli begins. I have to snicker, because come on, we'd have more done if we hadn't fucked. I'm not complaining, though.

"Yeah..." Dallas laughs. "What's that got to do with me? Kim already told me that she's going to be your Maid of Honor, and that's so fuckin' cool."

"Thanks again for asking me, Joli." Kimberly chimes in, and I see my girl's face light up. "I'm flattered."

"There's no one else it could be." Joli tells them confidently. "You're my best friend, Kimmy!"

"I love you too, Joli." Kim and Joli giggle together before Dallas chimes back in.

"So what's the question, sis?" Dallas reiterates. He really just sounds confused.

Joli takes a deep breath and then glances at me for just a moment. I can tell she's a little bit nervous about asking him, but she shouldn't be. I place a kiss on the top of Joli's head before I nod, signaling her to continue.

"Dallas, you're my big brother in every sense of the word, and you know that you mean the fuckin' world to me man. You can tell me 'no' if you'd like, and I'll completely understand it, but I've just got to ask anyway." Joli smiles, even though neither Dallas nor Kimberly can see us. "Dally, will you walk me down the aisle at my wedding?"

The other line goes quiet for a moment, but I can once more hear them rummaging around. Dallas clears his throat a couple of times and Kimberly laughs happily.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say Diamond Dallas Page was fighting back tears on this phone call.

"I'll do it, Joli." Dally eventually speaks back up. Holy fuck, his voice sounds a little shaky. "I'd be fuckin' honored to do that for you, sis."

"Thank you, Page." Joli is super excited, and there's this serene look of happiness on her face. It's beautiful. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Dallas chuckles softly. "I just can't believe that I'm doubling as a brother and a father for you now." He jokes. "Our family is a little weird, huh?"

"Weird, dysfunctional, chaotic, whatever the fuck you want to call it." I laugh. "We've all got each other's backs, and that's what matters."

"A-fuckin'-men." Dallas agrees. "Our crazy family is all we need to make it in this world."

I don't think any truer words have ever been spoken.

Joli and I talk to Dallas and Kimberly for a while longer and then we resume working on our wedding planning. We haven't quite figured out where the honeymoon will be, but Scott's going to be my Man of Honor and Paul's going to be my groomsman.

Paul and Paula are probably going to wind up getting paired together in the wedding, and that'll be sort of ironic. Paul and Paula, existing together for one night only.

Even though we still have a lot more to figure out, I couldn't be more excited. In just a few months, Jolene is going to be mine forever.

Chapter 83: nwo 2000

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

"Oh my God, do we really have to do this? Seriously?" I glance over at Joli as she whines and leans her head against Kev's upper arm. "This is the most idiotic plan that they could've come up with."

"Listen, I'm not anymore happy about this than you guys are." Jarrett scoffs from behind me. "Do you really think this is the push I wanted? Working with you three and Bret?"

This whole angle is going to be absolutely chaotic, and we all know it. Of all the people that they could choose to join me, Kev, and Joli as the nWo, why the fuck did they choose Jeff Jarrett and Bret Hart?

I've got to run back over all of this in my mind, because it just sounds too ridiculous to be true.

Kev, Joli, Jarrett, and I are supposed to interfere in Bret's match with Bill Goldberg for the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship, so that Bret can win. The five of us are going to be the New World Order now, with black and silver as our color scheme, for no real reason other than Russo and Ferrara running out of ideas. Isn't this fuckin' peachy?

I mean, the long-term plan is to push Bill as the main face of the company, because really, he's all we've fuckin' got left at this point. I personally don't think Bill has the charisma to be the top face, but fuck, he's over enough with the fans so I guess it's fine. My real gripe is that they're trying to get him back to the top by completely fucking up the nWo.

When I first arrived on Nitro, I didn't know what the fuck a 'New World Order' was or that I was going to be one of its founding members. By that point, we hadn't planned any of this shit out; that all came in the following weeks, before and during the time that Kev debuted.

But man, WCW struck a fuckin' goldmine with the nWo. We shouldn't have been over, but we were. Everyone wanted to be a part of the badass rebels that were invading the WCW and taking it out from the inside. If you weren't one of us, you weren't cool enough to even be on our level. It was wild.

Honestly, I don't know if the success of the nWo was something that WCW expected. They knew that bringing me and Kev in and having us act like Vince's boys for a while would bring a huge pop in ratings, because why wouldn't it? And adding Hulk Hogan, one of (if not) the most widely-known babyfaces in professional wrestling history, to the group as heel was destined to create something amazing.

We took off faster than any of us saw coming, so I'm sure it was the same for the company. How else can you explain the way that they initially booked us into a decline? There's been so much that happened with the nWo's fall that it makes my head spin.

The first problem came when they started adding people to our group just because they could. If it didn't make sense for someone to be in the nWo, they shouldn't have fuckin' joined it. There was a good period of time where we had so many members that I truthfully didn't know who was nWo and who wasn't. While that's great for the viewers at home, I'm sure, it doesn't go over well for your boys backstage.

I don't know, the nWo just because a big cluster-fuck after a while, and that's when we started really going downhill.

Of course there was the whole Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood debacle that came to be partially because of the angle between me and Joli. I mean, we didn't start the idea for the Wolfpac vs Hollywood, but we sure helped it.

My gaze flickers over to Joli as she and Kev chat about whatever the fuck it is, and I feel my stomach twist as one question comes to my mind.

Does she know the truth about our love angle?

She probably doesn't, and it might be better for her that way. If she knew that Eric was the one behind it from step one, she'd probably freak out and cut his head or fuckin' nuts off or something.

Ugh, that's fuckin' gross. I don't want to think about Eric's shriveled up sack right now.

"Hey." Fuck. "The match is about to start. All of you need to focus." Bret's bitter voice is hard to ignore as he walks past us and heads towards the curtain. "Don't mess this up."

"Aye-aye, captain!" Joli calls out as she cheerfully flips Bret off. She's such a smart ass. Jarrett huffs in annoyance, but I can't tell if it's because of Bret or Joli.

"Right, because if something goes wrong out there, it's going to be on us." Kev scoffs mockingly. He's become increasingly more aggravated with WCW's creative direction as the days pass, but I'd probably feel the same if I were in his position. People don't really listen to him anymore.

"Naturally." I laugh. "I mean, what, are they going to blame 'Holy Child' Goldberg? Or resident hardass Bret Hart? Nah, the blame has to go to us."

"We're heat magnets, what can we say?" Joli grins as she places a hand over her heart. She looks over at Jarrett over her shoulder as she adds, "I didn't always used to be this way. The Kliq corrupted me. I never got in trouble until I befriended these two." She points to me and Kev.

"You're so full of shit." Kev chuckles as he smacks Joli's ass. "Don't try and lie to this poor, easily manipulated man."

"I'm not easily manipulated." Jarrett defends himself. "But I would believe that there was good in Jolene before you two came along."

"See?" Joli smirks smugly up at Kev, who in turn looks over at Jarrett like he's a complete dumbass. He kind of is. "Double J buys it."

"Now, now, I never said I actually bought it." Jarrett corrects her. "I said I would believe it. As in, I would believe it, were you yourself not absolutely insane."

Joli's smirk instantly falls off of her face at Jarrett's response. She turns around and places her hands on her hips defiantly, refusing to so much as look at Jarrett.

"You've pissed her off now, my man." I tell Jarrett as I nudge his arm with my elbow. "That's something you never want to do."

"Yeah, I mean, you saw what happened to Bischoff, right?" Kev chimes in. "He pissed Joli off and now he's gone. Poof. He had it all, and now he's at the bottom of the totem pole."

"That wasn't her doing." Jarrett retorts. He seems confident in his words at first, but I watch as the uncertainty grows within him. "There's no way that Jolene got Eric demoted."

"It's up to you whether you believe us or not." I shrug nonchalantly before I pat Jarrett's back a couple of times. "She looks all cute and innocent, but she'll fuck you up, man."

Jarrett just goes silent, and all I want to do is laugh. I think he actually might be a little bit afraid of Joli now, and that's fucking hilarious. I know she has to be damn proud of herself for that.

We all wait around until we receive our cue to head out to the ring, and once we go out, the crowd is... confused. They want to cheer, but they also don't completely understand what's happening.

Me either, guys.

Joli leads the referee away while Kev, Jarrett, and I beat the ever loving shit out of Bill. The audience is reacting now, but it's very mixed. I didn't expect anything different.

It doesn't take long for us to knock Bill out, with all three of us going after him. We signal for Joli to wrap her shtik up, and she does. Kev, Joli, Jarrett, and I all rush to ramp way as Bret goes in for the pin.

Seeing him with the WCW World Heavyweight Title is just an ugly sight, but it's not going to be something we'll have to see for long, I'm sure. Bret can work, sure, but his attitude backstage is so fuckin' bad. Having this world title is going to make him even more of a smug little bitch than he already is.

As a whole, we celebrate Bret's victory in the ring. Bill's selling his kayfabe injuries and aggravation as much as he can, but I'm not really paying attention to any of it. This has to be one of the most phoned-in performances of my career, because I genuinely just don't care about any of this.

Once all of the shit is over and we head backstage, Bret calls us over to one of the corners. I'm so not ready for an infamous 'Bret Hart Leadership' speech.

Joli, Kev, and I instantly go to leave, but we're stopped by Russo and Ferrara, who are walking over to join all of us. Just when I thought this shit couldn't get any more stupid.

"You guys did great out there tonight, bro. Good job." Russo tells us with an ugly grin. "Keep it up!"

"Can we go now?" Joli asks. She's done with all of this, too. "I need a smoke."

"That's how you're killing yourself." Bret mutters just loud enough for all of us to hear. "Smoking all of the time."

"Because if I don't get a smoke soon," Joli continues, "I'm probably going to light someone's ass instead."

Jarrett tenses up and I can't help but let out a small, tart laugh. Dumbass.

"Ah, always with the attitude." Russo shakes his head in a disapproving manner as he looks down at Joli, though his grin remains on his lips. "You realize that ladies shouldn't have so much sass in them, right? It's not good."

"Really?" Joli smirks smugly. "Men shouldn't have such tiny dicks either, but that's not stopping you now, is it?"

Kev and I both lose our fucking shit at that, although Bret and Russo aren't very amused.

"You know Nash," Russo looks at Kev with narrowed eyes, "I really think you need to get your bitch in line. She's starting to get on my nerves, bro."

"Nah," Kev shakes his head as he proudly wraps and arm around Joli's shoulders, "Joli is fine just the way she is."

Russo and Kev state each other down for a few long moments before Russo eventually calls it quits and begins to walk off. Ferrara and Bret follow after him, and by the time we turn back around, Jarrett has fled the scene.

"Why does that asshole keep referring to me as your 'bitch'?" Joli asks Kev with a raised eyebrow. "Is he really that unoriginal? I mean, with his creative direction, it's obvious that he is, but can't he come up with anything else?"

"He's such a fuckin' tool, goddamn." Kev rolls his eyes. "The sooner he gets canned, the better."

"Speaking of that, do you think Double J is running off to tell the world about how I'm going to get Russo fired?" Joli snickers. "Because I think he's terrified of me."

"I think he is, too." I agree as we begin walking towards our locker room. "What an idiot."

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I wish that I had that kind of pull around here, but I don't." Joli smirks. "He's almost as big of an idiot as Russo."

Nowadays, it seems like the entire company is filled with morons. Everywhere you look, you see some little dummy that doesn't quite understand anything that's going on in the kayfabe world of professional wrestling, let alone the backstage life.

I guess that's why WCW is going down so quickly. We're surround by the biggest fuckin' dumbasses in the business, and we're so damn desperate now, they're the ones leading the company.

Chapter 84: this isn't on you

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

As soon as Kev and I walk into the Firstar Center in Cinci, we're met by a ticked-off, frantic Vince Russo. He looks like a chicken that just had his goddamn head chopped off.

"Fuck! There you are!" Russo shouts way too loudly at Kev. "We've been waiting on you to get ya fuckin' ass here!"

"Bitch, I'm early." Kev's eye twitches just slightly as he looks down at Russo. "I was supposed to be here at four. It's three."

"Whatever bro, it's a fuckin' mess here." Russo doesn't give a single fuck about our reasons. "The whole card for tonight has been ruined! We have to get to the back and change things right now!"

"Wait, hold the fuck up." Kev mutters as Russo begins leading the way to the creative room. "What happened?"

"Hart and Jarrett are out of action." My eyes widen as Russo speaks. For once, I'm genuinely curious about what he has to say. "Hart's claiming Goldberg fucked him up and Jarrett's got another concussion."

Although injuries in professional wrestling are certainly no laughing matter, I can't help but snicker just a tad bit once I find out that Bill destroyed Bret. It's like a beautiful package of karma delivered by a loud, large, tase-able brute.

As for Jarrett, I can't say I care either way. It sucks that he's hurt, but I'm not really invested in him.

"So our main is ruined and so is Jarrett/Benoit, huh? Great." Kev sighs heavily. I can see the frustration growing on my poor babe's face. "All right. Let's go get figure this shit out."

Kev pulls me in for a quick kiss, and he sends me an annoyed glance before begrudgingly following after Russo. As Kev walks, he glances at me over his shoulder and mouths the words, 'Help me.' I give my babe a sympathetic look as I blow him a kiss.

Goddammit. The card for tonight is ruined, and it wasn't that good to begin with. This is fun.

Once Kev is out of sight, I begin wandering aimlessly around the arena. I haven't got anything to do for at least an hour, so I might as well see what kind of shit I can get into.

"Milford!" A deep voice calls out from behind me I head towards catering. "Hey, hold up a moment!"

"Oh, hey, Benoit." I shove my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

"Where's Nash?" Oh. I see how it is, Chris. I see how it is. You want to see Kev, and not me. Rude. "Did Russo find him?"

"Yeah, unfortunately." I sigh dramatically. "Kev and Russo went to go figure out what the fuck they're doing with the card tonight."

"Thank God he's here now." I can hear the relief in Benoit's voice. He's got more on his mind, and I can see that. Benoit stares at me for a quick moment before asking, "You don't like Russo, do you?"

"Not at all." I laugh. "He's an annoying prick that thinks he's hot shit because he took my fiancé's job. Plus, he's a total dumbass."

"Ah, good." Benoit chuckles as he leans in close to me. He cups a hand on the side of his mouth, to try and make our conversation more private. "You see, Russo likes to act like he's got everything under control and all that, but we Hart and Jarrett backed out, he flipped out. He started running around and screaming for Nash, because he didn't know what to do."

"You've got to be shitting me!" I start cackling on the spot. "He's not that incompetent, right?"

"I don't have any reason to lie to you, Jolene." Benoit steps back with an amused smirk on his lips. "That happened."

"Thank you for that. That's the kind of nice news I needed today." I pat Benoit's shoulder. "Hopefully things turn out better for you with this card. Just about anyone has to be better to wrestle than Jarrett, right?"

I try to make a joke about it, but Benoit doesn't seem all that interested. He gives me a small, awkward chuckle before waving and excusing himself. I let him go before heading back out on my way.

I'm glad Benoit doesn't like Russo either. The enemy of my enemy is friend, or something like that.

After I grab a bottle of water from catering, I head back off on my journey to cause mischief in the arena. I don't accomplish that mission, but I do manage to run into Scott on the way. He's got his bag on one arm and an all too familiar look in his dark eyes.

"Scott?" I call out to him as I rush over to him. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Joli!" Scott's forcing the enthusiasm into his voice. "Hey. I'm uh, you know, I'm just-" He stutters for a moment before trailing off and shaking his head. "I'm heading home, Jolene."

It feels like a bullet was just lunged into my heart. He's not okay.

"For how long?" I ask as my eyes narrow slightly, trying to read him as much as I can.

"A few weeks at most." Fuck. "I swear, it's going to be okay, Joli. Don't worry about me. I'm just taking some time off. I'll be better before you know it."

He's acting as though this isn't a big deal at all, but I guess it's because he has to.

I want to ask if Scott would like to talk about whatever is going on, but I know he doesn't. I don't think I'd be able to help him any, anyway.

"Please, just take it easy, okay?" I walk closer to Scott and I wrap my arms tightly around him. He doesn't waste any time in tightly returning my hug, holding me close against him for a few moments. I can smell the booze radiating off of him, even though he's not completely wasted. "Call us when you get home. Let us know that you're safe."

Scott lightly ruffles the hair on the back of my head before he pulls back and breaks our hug. The pain in his eyes is killing me, slowly but surely.

"I'll be all right, Joli." Scott chuckles softly before shooting me a tired grin. "I always am, aren't I?"

"Just make sure you call us and let us know that you're okay. Keep us updated on how you're doing, at least a little bit." I jokingly punch Scott's shoulder as I force a smile onto my lips. "I'm going to miss you, you know that?"

"I'm going to miss you too." Scott tells me sadly. He pauses for an awkward moment before adding, "And Kev. I'll miss the big guy, too." He laughs to break the ice, but it's a pain-filled laugh that isn't breathtaking like his laughter usually is. "I'm going to be fucking this whole nWo 2000 deal up even more than Hart and Jarrett have."

"I'll let Kev know what's going on. He'll understand." I tell Scott with a reassuring nod. "This angle was dead in the water from day one, so don't make yourself feel any worse about it. This isn't on you."

"I know it's not, but it kind of feels like it is." Scott shrugs his shoulders before giving me a final smile. "I've got to head out though, okay, Joli? I should be home by the time the show is over tonight, so if you want, just give me a ring when you guys get back to the hotel."

"We definitely will, Scott." I pull my dear friend in for one more long, caring hug before I pull back and let him go on his way. "Take care of yourself, Bad Guy." I tell him. "If not for you, then for me."

"I'll try my best, Joli." Scott shakes his head as he leaves. "I'll try my best."

It hurts to see someone that you care for so greatly in such shape, especially when there's nothing in the world that you can do for them. I had hoped that Eric being gone would be good for Scott, but my poor friend needs more help than that. The stressful environment of our failing company can't be good on anyone's health either, so hopefully, Scott will be able to get some rest while he's gone.

While I wait on Kev to finish up in his meeting, I head to the dressing room and meet up with Kimberly. I don't tell her about what's going on with Scott yet, because I don't want to worry her. However, Kim is as confused by the fucked up card as I am, so that's great.

I mean, it's pretty fucking shitty for Bret and Jarrett to pull out of their matches at the last minute like this. Bret likes to harp on us about professionalism in the workplace, but he couldn't be bothered to inform the higher ups earlier on that he was injured?

For shame, Bret. For shame.

"So what do you think they're going to do about the main?" Kim asks as she works on her hair. "I guess they'll just have it be for the vacated WCW World Title?"

"That'd make sense to me. I just don't know who they're going to replace Bret with." I shrug. "In theory, Sid could just wrestle himself, but I don't think anyone wants to see that."

Kimmy laughs a little bit before she says, "I just hope that they don't end up having to change the whole card around for those two matches."

"I'm sure our guys will be just fine where they're at. If they change Kev or Dally's matches, then Russo really has lost his shit." I want to say that jokingly, but I'm serious.

Kev is supposed to have a hardcore match with Terry Funk, and Dallas is supposed to face Buff in a last man standing match. There is absolutely no reason to change that shit, which is what makes the possibility of it being changed that much higher.

If anyone can save this disastrous night though, it's Kev. Even that dumbass Vince Russo knows that.

We actually don't end up finding Kev until around 5:30, after we've already changed into our gear. My poor love looks exhausted and fed up with everything at this point. However, he has changed into his gear as well, which means he's had at least a little bit of time between the creative meeting and catching up with us.

"Have I ever told you how incompetent some of athese buffoons are?" Kev scoffs. "Because it's fuckin' bad." He shakes his head. "And if I see Bret or Jarrett, I'm wringing their necks. Injuries suck, yeah, but they could've said something before today."

"I'm sorry, babe." I wrap my arms around Kev's waist and hug him tightly. "What did you guys finally decide to do?"

"Sid and Benoit are going at it in the main. Their matches got fucked up, so we're putting them together." He sighs before leaning down and placing a kiss on the top of my head. "Hopefully, things turn out well. I don't really care at this point."

WCW has been stressing Kev out so much lately, and I hate that. Neither he nor Scott can catch a break around here anymore.

"Who's going over?" Kimberly asks curiously. "Sid?"

"Nope," Kev shakes his head, "Benoit."

Huh. That's cool! Good for Chris. "Is the rest of the card staying the same?" I ask as I take a step back and look up at my fiancé.

"Yeah. That's all that's really been changed." Kev pauses. "Except for some shitty Bret promo at the beginning of the show, where he's going to vacate the title and undoubtedly bury Bill. The usual Bret shit."

"Gross." I fake gag. "So we do have to see him tonight."

"If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay away from me." Kev rolls his eyes. He's completely fed up with all of this, and I don't blame him.

This entire day has been one big rollercoaster, and it's only going to become more crazy from here on. I've still got to tell Kev about what's going on with Scott, but I'll do that as soon as I get the right chance.

I adore this fuckin' company, but it's tearing everyone I love down. WCW really is on the fast track to the garbage can.

Chapter 85: doomed from the start

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

As soon as Joli and I walk into our hotel room, I fling our bags into one of the corners and groan. Goddamn, I'm tired.

Physically, I'm doing all right. My body isn't as exhausted as it once was, which is good. The last thing I need right now is to push too hard and injure myself, because really, that would probably be the final nail in WCW's casket.

I'm not saying the company couldn't manage without me, but I'm pretty much the only one that keeps things running around here anymore. God knows that the incompetent baboons that are in charge of WCW would be lost without me.

Of course, all of this fuckin' stress is really why I'm so damn tired. I can handle the rough travel and work schedule, because the shit Vince had us do was a lot worse. But having to take care of everyone in WCW? That's taking a toll on me.

I've been trying everything that I can to try and save us, but I don't think it's going to work. As much as I hate to admit it, WCW isn't going to be around all that much longer. It's pretty much a lost cause at this point, but I'm going to keep doing whatever I can for it until someone finally pisses me off and I give up.

"Are you okay, babe?" Joli asks as she wraps her little arms around me from behind. She gives me a hug before she begins to rub her hands up and down my back. "You seem even more worn out than usual."

Fuck, I hate that it has to be this way. I shouldn't constantly be frustrated with my damn job.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie as I force a smile to my lips, "I'm just a little tired."

Joli drops her arms from around me before walking in front of me. She gets in my way while I'm trying to sit down on the bed.

"You know I'm not buying that, right?" She tells me with a raised brow. "I know you better than that, Kevin." The look that she gives me brings a smile to my face, even though it's a 'serious' expression.

"Oh man, I'm getting the 'don't you fuckin' lie to me' glare and you're calling me by my full first name." I say playfully. "What did I do to get this much heat?"

"You tried to hide your true feelings from me." She tells me simply as she places her hands on her hips. Fuck, I love this woman. My sassy little wife-to-be. "Get talking, Nash."

"You can't call me 'Nash' whenever it's going to be your name soon too, girly." I grin and lean down to kiss Jolene, only to be blocked by a finger over my lips.

"You're stressed." Joli says bluntly. "Vent to me about it. Get whatever the fuck is on your chest, off of it." She then scoots to the side and motions towards the bed. "Lay down and start talking."

I want to groan, because I don't know where to start with this. There's so much shit going on, I might as well throw a dart at a damn board to figure out what we need to go over first.

"Can you rub my back while we do this, if we really have to do it at all?" I ask as I sit down at the edge of the bed and start stripping down. My shoes go first, then my socks, my shirt, and my pants.

"Sure thing." Joli tells me with a soft smile. I nod and then move so that I'm lying on the bed on my stomach. She hands me some pillows, so that I can rest my head on them. I move all of my hair off to one side, so that it's out of the way. "Okay now, get talking. Tell me everything that's on that sexy mind of yours."

I chuckle briefly before a large sigh comes from my lips. Fuck, this is going to be fun. I can hear Joli take her shoes off as I close my eyes.

"Where would you like me to begin?" I ask rhetorically as Joli climbs up on the bed with me. She sits on my ass and starts to rub her hands across my back as I say, "I'm more stressed now than I've ever been, Joli. WCW is killing me."

Joli's small, talented hands slowly work the tense muscles of my back and I already feel a little better. She always knows just how to get all the knots and kinks out of every part of my body.

"I know it's been rough for you, baby." Joli coos as she drags her knuckles across the sides of my spine. "Did Russo start his shit up again today? Or was it something else?"

"It's been so damn hard to get any breaks, with dumbass Bret being out of action." I sigh. "Bill being a stubborn piece of-" I'm cut off mid-sentence by a loud groan of pleasure that erupts from my chest as Joli hits a really tense spot on my back. "Fuck, that was good."

"I take it that you liked that, huh?" Joli giggles proudly before leaning down and placing a sweet, sensual kiss on the back of my neck. "What were you saying about Bill-berg?"

"Oh, yeah," I let out a low hum, "Bill's being a stubborn piece of shit and he's not really wanting to work with us. I don't give a fuck if he was really responsible for Bret's injury or not; I just need a lead babyface that will listen to the creative team."

"Can you really blame him all that much, though?" Joli asks bitterly. "You know I don't give two shits about Bill either way, but I wouldn't want to listen to Russo if I were him. The shit that he's been coming up with lately is beyond idiotic."

"Definitely. Vince Russo is a fuckin' imbecile." I agree. Russo is one of the biggest sources of my stress. He doesn't know the first thing about the wrestling business, let alone how to book a match.

I lie in silence for about a minute, just so that I can enjoy the work my babe is doing on my back. I don't think I can ever thank her enough for all of the shit she does for me. I love my Jolene so fuckin' much.

"There's also the fact that I'm the go-to man for the company now. If anything goes wrong, they come to me, because I'm apparently some fuckin' miracle worker." It's a pain in the ass. This isn't what I signed up for.

"You're one of the only reliable guys around anymore. I don't think management could wipe their own asses without getting your sign of approval first." Joli sighs. "This isn't fair to you, babe. I'm sorry."

"It's just gotten to the point where I don't really give a fuck about WCW anymore, you know?" I briefly glance towards Joli before I turn my gaze to the nearby wall. I trail my eyes along the patterns as I add, "WCW is dying and I'm really not worried about it at this point."

Joli grows quiet as she continues to massage my back. I know there has to be something on my girl's mind; either that, or she's trying to come up with something to say.

"WCW is dying, isn't it? I keep trying to tell myself that something will change, and the company will be okay, but I know I'm just trying to fool myself." Joli let's out a short, tart laugh. "We used to have such a great, formidable business, but now, it's the fucking laughingstock of the wrestling industry."

"Everyone got cocky when we were leading the ratings war, and they thought they could sit around and jack their dicks backstage instead of working on keeping us on top. It's just stupid." I've tried to fix WCW. I've tried my damndest.

"You're right." Joli's trying not to sell it, but I know she's not happy about the state of WCW. She loves that place more than I ever could; it's the only place she's ever worked in the wrestling world, and it has a special place in her heart. "We've been doomed from the start."

"And that's not our fault. We've only been able to do as much as they'll let us." I know that's not really all that comforting to her, but it's all I know to say.

I'm stressed as fuck and Joli's heartbroken, all because WCW has been tossed into the dumpster.

Joli and I both go quiet for a few minutes as she continues to soothe my back. When she believes she's done all that she can, Joli moves just a little bit so that she can lay on my back. She slides her arms under mine and she rests her cheek on the back of my neck. I guess she's taken her shirt off, because I can feel the distinct outline of her bra on my back.

"I love you, Kev. I'm sorry these asswhipes in our company have been stressing you out so much." Joli hugs me close, and I enjoy every moment of it. "Thank you for talking to me about all of the bull that's on your mind. I'm not much help when it comes to shit like this, but I can listen like a motherfucker."

"Don't sell yourself short." I smile, even though she can't see it. "You always help me out and make me feel better. You're the best."

"It's just, uh..." Joli trails off and clears her throat. "It's nice when people I care about talk to me about the shit that's going on, even if I can't do anything to help."

I can feel my heart twist in my chest as Scott comes to mind, and I hope my brother is doing okay. He's been gone about two weeks now, and we've barely heard from him. I honestly don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.

Probably bad, but what can we do whenever he won't respond to our calls? Hopefully, he just needs some space right now.

"Hey, hop off me for a second." I tell Joli. I wait until she's standing beside of the bed to sit up myself. I pull my girl back over onto my lap and then I place my hands on the sides of her hips. "I love you so fucking much, Jolene Alice. I hope you know that."

"I do." Joli smiles before connecting our lips in a soft, passionate kiss. I go to deepen it, but she pulls away before I have a chance to. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, babe. I can't believe that in a few weeks, I'm going to be able to call you my husband."

"Yeah, that's pretty wild, isn't it?" I can't stop myself from bursting into a goofy grin. "We're gonna be hitched soon. Just you and me, together forever."

"There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with." Joli brushes a few strands of hair out of my face. "You're the perfect package, really. You're sweet, understanding, intelligent, hilarious as fuck, and quite frankly the most handsome man I've ever laid my eyes on." She winks at me. "I love you."

"Ah, you hype me up too much." I lean forward and playfully nibble on the nape of Joli's neck. "I'm good, but I'm not that great." I smirk up at Joli. "Am I?"

"Oh, you know you are." Joli leans her head back, so that I can have better access to her neck. "You're the best in every aspect."

I do the only natural thing at this point, which is begin a trail of kisses up my girl's neck. Joli's hands roam across my chest as I start working her up, quickly making her a moaning mess on my lap.

Even when the job fuckin' sucks and life is a pain in the ass, at least I have Jolene to help make everything better. She likes to go on about how I'm so goddamn great, but we all know that compared to her, I'm average.

My baby is the fuckin' greatest.

Chapter 86: the new blood

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

As soon as Nitro goes off the air, I lean my head back against the headboard of my bed. A lot of shit just happened in a short amount of time, and if I don't really understand it, how can the fans? This is just fuckin' insane.

The New World Order is gone now, and I wasn't even there for it. Yeah, sure, we've hit bumps in the road with the nWo before, but I think it's finally gone for good this time. I'm not there, and Kev and Hulk have already moved on.

It's dead in the water, like all of the other gimmicks that WCW has laid to rest over the years. I didn't expect that to sting like it is, but fuck, this hurts. The nWo meant a lot to me, like it did to Kev and Joli and, deep down, Hulk, too.

I guess a big part of the reason that's fucking me up is because, goddammit, Eric is back. It took the little bastard a few months, but he's finally weaseled his way back onto WCW television.

I don't think he's got anywhere near as much power in the company as he did before, but the fact of the matter is that he's there. Eric is television and he's started a big angle, so he's going to be backstage for at least the foreseeable future.

To make matters worse, Eric is working alongside Russo. The two of them have joined up in kafabe now, showing the world how good of friends they actually are. They're calling their little alliance, 'The New Blood,' and they're going to do more harm than good to WCW.

They might as well shut us down now. If this is really the kind of content we're going to be creating, we're better off not doing anything at all.

Meanwhile, at least my friends are doing something somewhat cool on television now; that is, if you want to call it that.

Now that the nWo is gone, Kev and Joli have allied with Ric, Hulk, Sting, Sid, Curt, Liz, and Dallas. They're a group that's named the 'Millionaire's Club,' and let's be honest, they're a far more likable group than the New Blood.

I'm sure Joli's super fuckin' excited, because she's going to be able to work on the same side as her brother again. Instead of them going against each other like when Dally feuded with the nWo, they'll be allies. Hell, that makes me happy! I know thats got to mean a lot to her.

Of course, Joli probably isn't thinking of any of the positives of what's going on right now, because I'm sure that she's trying to attack Eric. She's undoubtedly pissed off, and I'm kind of glad I'm not there to see it.

I want to give Kev and Joli a call, but I feel like they'll call me once they get back to their hotel. I feel bad about it, because I haven't really talked to them all that much since I went on my little break from the company. But hey, I'm doing better today, so I might as well give it a shot, huh?

While I wait for Kev and Joli, I kill some time around the house. I take a quick shower to help wake myself up more and then I head to the kitchen. After making some sandwiches and snagging a couple of bottles of beer, I head back into my bedroom.

I'm halfway through my first sandwich when my phone starts to ring. I swallow the bite of food in my mouth before picking up the phone and greeting the other line.

"Brother, did you watch Nitro tonight?" Kev asks as soon as I answer the phone. "Because there's some shit going on around here again."

"Hey, Scott." Joli greets on the phone. I can tell that she's not too happy. "It's nice to hear from you."

"Yeah, it's good to talk to you guys, too." I tell her. "But to answer your question Kev, I watched Nitro. What the fuck is going on around there?"

"The god-dammed piece of shit-!" Joli begins to rant, but Kev cuts her off.

"Eric and Russo have lost what little part of their minds that they had left and they're completely taking over now." Kev explains. "The whole 'New Blood' shit is just that - shit." He then lets out this heavy sigh. "I don't know what to even fuckin' say about it."

"Oh! Oh! No. That's not even the worst fucking part!" I'm honestly surprised by how pissed off Joli sounds. What the hell happened? "Do you know what that fucking piece of shit Eric is going to do??" Joli release a short, aggravated laugh. "He's making Kimberly fuck him in kayfabe!!"

Holy shit. I wondered where Kim had been tonight, but I guess that makes sense.

"Really?" I clear my throat. "That's insane. How do she and Dally feel about it?"

"Neither one of them like it, but what can you do?" Kev replies passively as I resume eating. "If it's for the storyline, they'll go with it."

"He can't fucking get to me, so he's trying to go after my girl instead." Jolene hisses. "Tell me, why in the goddamn world someone as beautiful and intelligent as Kimberly would downgrade from a sweetheart like Dally to the biggest piece of garbage that has ever disgraced this Earth?!" She gags. "I'm disgusted!"

"It'll be all right, babe." Kev coos. "I know this fuckin' sucks, but Kim will be okay. Eric cares too much about how Dallas feels about him to piss him off too much."

That was certainly the case at some point, but nowadays, who knows? Eric, Russo, and the other morons in charge are pretty much doing whatever the fuck comes to mind in order to delay the inevitable demise of WCW. It's sad.

"I hope you're right about that." Joli scoffs. "If he hurts her, I swear to God, I'll beat his ass." She goes quiet for a moment before groaning, "Out of everyone on the fucking roster, why did it have to be her?"

Just hearing the tone in Joli's voice breaks my heart. She's crushed by this, and she has every right to be. Not only has Eric returned, he's going after her best friend in the entire world.

As much as I hate to say, Kimberly being chosen as Eric's new little toy couldn't have been a coincidence. Joli's completely right by saying that Kim was chosen because of her. Eric could've easily chosen Joli for that role, but he didn't; Joli watching Kimberly is a lot more painful for her.

He's such a sadistic son of a bitch.

"Have things really gotten to be that bad around there?" I ask cautiously. "Like, shit was bad before I left, but..."

"Yeah, things suck pretty damn hard right now." I can just hear the exhaustion in Kev's voice. "I just don't know what to do around here anymore. It's horrible."

"A lot of shit needs to change, but it's not going to." Joli mutters crossly. "I'm so sick of all of this. It's not good for me, it's not good for you, babe, and it's not good for you either, Scott. I don't think it's good for anyone."

It isn't, but that's why I think things will continue on like this until WCW finally closes its doors for good. We're all stuck on this shit train until the end, and that blows.

"When are you going to be coming back, man? We got so busy talking about all of the other shit that I've not had a chance to ask you." Kev speaks up after a moment. I quickly finish my last sandwich and wash it down with a swig of beer before I reply to him.

"Two weeks." I have to stifle a sigh as I speak. I don't want to come back, but I have to. "I tried to get in touch with the main office, but they kept me on hold for hell and forever earlier today, so I said 'fuck it' and hung up on them."

"I'll pass the word along." Kev says nonchalantly. "I just hope they don't try to force you into one of these shitty storylines."

"You could end up just getting thrown into random backstage segments." Joli chimes in. "If that. They'll probably find somewhere to stick you, but who knows? They don't know what they're doing with half the damn roster."

"Shitty stables are everywhere." Kev scoffs. "I'll try to get you something nice to return to, but I can't make you any promises."

"Ah, don't bust your balls trying to get me a spot man." I shake my head, even though they can't see me. "I'll find something to do. It's fine."

"I'll call you once I talk to everyone in the morning. We've got a meeting at the ass crack of dawn, so I'll try to call you around lunch time  or something." Thanks, Kev. "On a different note, are you still free for the bachelor party?"

Fuck, that's coming up, isn't it?

"Yeah, man! Shit! It's already April." I feel like I just got hit by a dose of reality. I hadn't realized that Joli and Kev's wedding was so soon. "I'll be there. I'll be there for everything." I laugh. "I couldn't miss anything to do with my best friend's wedding, could I?"

In a month, Jolene is going to be married to Kevin and they're going to have their happily ever after. Joli's finally going to have a husband that truly loves and appreciates her, one that won't treat her like absolute shit.

Do I really deserve to be Kev's best man, when I find myself feeling so fucking jealous that he's the one marrying Jolene and not me? I probably don't. Kev's never been anything but great to me, and here I am wishing that his girl was mine. I'm such a selfish prick.

"Hey, do you think you'd be able to come over to Joli's this weekend? Maybe Friday?" Kev questions. "Because there's some stuff that Dallas and Paul want to go over before the wedding. I don't really know what the fuck it is they have in mind, but they've been looking for a chance for all of us to get together."

Paul's probably going to beat my ass the next time he sees me, because I've not been answering his calls, either. Damn. I need to get out of this fuckin' rut, and fast.

"Friday? Yeah, that's fine. That's totally fine. I'll be there." I tell Kev as I take another drink of my beer. "Just let me know what time you want me to show up."

"Great. I'll see if Kid wants to tag along too, and we can all meet up and have some fun." Kev laughs. "It'll be cool."

"I'll see what Kimmy and Paula are into that day, so that you boys can have time to play." Joli still sounds stressed out, but it seems like she's mellowed out a tad bit. She's probably been smoking. "We'll work on boxing up the last of my stuff that I need at my house."

"Oh, yeah! How's the move been going for you guys?" I guess that is something they've had to work on. Damn, this all snuck up so quickly on me. "You guys are just staying at your place, right Kev?"

"Yep," Kev says, "We're going to stay in Detroit for now, at least. Depending on how things go when we're down in Florida for the wedding, we might end up moving down there before too long."

"We're still keeping my house in Norfolk, though." Joli adds. "We'll sell it by the end of the year, I'm sure, but for now we're just going to use it as a place to chill whenever we're in the area. Plus, there's less shit we have to move between houses that way."

That makes sense, I guess. Neither one of them really have that much time to pack or move, especially with all of the shit that's going on in WCW lately.

I talk to Joli and Kev for a few more minutes before they head off to bed - at least, that's what they say they're doing. They're probably going to fuck, but that's not any of my business. Whatever they do on their own time is between them.

One more month and they're together forever, huh? Wild. It hurts, but I'm happy for them.

They're perfect for each other.

Chapter 87: whole again

Jolene Milford's POV

- - -

There's little in my life that brings me more enjoyment than booze and smokes, and right now, I've got an ample supply of both. On top of that, I've got Kimberly on my right side, Paula on my left, and several of the other ladies of WCW in the chairs around us. Paul's girl Stephanie is also here, shockingly enough.

This is nice.

See, tonight has been great and it's going to continue to be great. I'm having my bachelorette party while Kev is off with his boys at his bachelor party.

I've always heard that these things are fun as hell, but I've never been to one. Thomas wouldn't have ever let me go out like this, and I've never been friends with any chicks while they've been engaged. This is foreign territory for me, but I'm digging it.

"How're you ladies tonight?" This little waiter in a skimpy outfit asks us with a grin. "Is there anything else I can get for you all?"

"More drinks please!" Madusa laughs. She's drunk off her fuckin' ass, and it's hilarious. "I'd like more of the hard shit; no more fruity drinks for me."

"Absolutely, ma'am." The waiter chuckles. "Would the rest of you like refills as well?" We all cheer - except for Kim, who is my DD - and he sends us a flirty wink. "I'll be right back then."

"You know girls," I sigh contently as I lean back in my chair, "this is all I've ever wanted. Just some friends, some booze, and all the smokes I can smoke. It's a dream come true."

"Someone sounds like they're easy to please." Madusa giggles as she leans across the table. "Is Kevin's 'Big Sexy' not all that impressive after all?"

That makes me lose my fucking shit. I start laughing like a dumbass, to the point where I nearly fall over in my chair.

"You're not the one that has to listen to her talk about it all the time." Kim chimes in. I look over and watch as she shakes her head. "I don't think I've ever heard her say anything bad about, uh... that."

"You don't complain about the parts that please you." Paula says wisely. She makes me laugh even more, because it's Paula of all people, and she's talking about dick.

"Oh, I definitely don't have any reasons to complain." I choke out as I catch my breath. "Kev's stacked."

"And Jolene's slept around a lot, so she knows what she's talking about." Stephanie speaks so quietly that I almost don't hear her. Almost.

"Holy fuck!" I grin at Stephanie. "Am I getting roasted by Stephanie fucking McMahon?!" I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth. "Are my sex adventures so well-known that even you know about them?"

I think I've embarrassed Stephanie, because as soon as I reply to her, I can see her eyes widen. She starts awkwardly playing with the hem of her napkin, barely making eye contact with me.

"Paul's told me a lot." Stephanie tells me sheepishly. This poor girl is so out of her element here, with all of us. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I still think you're great, but-"

"Oh honey, I'm not mad at all!" I wave her off. "In fact, I'm impressed. Good on you, for having the balls to say something like that to me."

"Really?" Steph is shocked. "You know, you're a lot more laid back than I thought you would be."

"That's the booze talking." Kimmy laughs. "Sober Joli would've given you hell over that comment, only to tell you what she just did a little later on."

"I'm not an asshole, Kimberly." I pout at my best friend as I grab a cigarette from my carton on the table. I definitely do feel one hell of a buzz, though. "I'm just trying to be nice to this poor girl."

"She's not poor, Jolene." Madusa playfully scolds me. "She's a McMahon. The McMahon family is a lot of things, but poor isn't one of them."

I can tell Stephanie's not a fan of the change in conversation, so I switch it to the first thing that comes to mind. "So how long have you and Paul been banging, Steph?"

"Banging?" Stephanie nervously clears her throat. "Uh... We've been together for a couple of months now." She gives me a small smile.

"Really?" I could've sworn that Paul and Joanie only called it off about a month or so ago, but fuck, I can't keep up with the times anymore. My mind is too fizzy to try and figure this out. "That's cool. How's life in your dad's company?" I have to laugh. "Probably a hell of a lot better than it is in WCW!"

Best part of this is that I'm too drunk to care about the fall of WCW, but I'm not drunk enough to make a total fool of myself. Booze can be pretty fuckin' nice.

"Things are good." Stephanie nods shyly. "Things are really good right now, actually. Dad is, uh... he's pretty happy."

"I'm sure life has to be crazy for you." Paula actually doesn't seem like she's completely marking-out for once. Instead, she's giving Steph a genuine smile, like you'd give a friend.

"It is pretty crazy sometimes, but this is all I've ever known." Stephanie giggles. She's got a cute laugh; I bet Paul swoons every time he hears it. "I sometimes forget just how wild it is."

Before I know it, Paula and Stephanie are engaged in this huge conversations about their lives. I watch in amusement as Stephanie switches places with Fyre, so that she and Paula can sit beside of one another.

I'm proud of Paula. It seems like she's finally breaking out of her shell a little bit and getting a taste of the real world I live in. Good for her!

The waiter finally returns with our drinks right as I put my cigarette out. He's got a huge tray filled with all of the alcohol he could surely think of, and after he sits it down on the table, he flashes us an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about the delay, ladies." He chuckles nervously. "I hope I didn't make you all wait too long."

"Ah, we're used to waiting on men." Fyre says playfully as she grabs a full glass. "It's nothing new."

"Still, a group like this with so many beautiful gals deserves better than this." He bows to us, and it's sort of funny. He's trying way too hard. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

I'm about to send him on his way, but Madusa speaks up before I get the chance to.

"You should do all of us a favor and get the bride-to-be out on that dance floor!" She lets out this horrifying yell, which is followed by some sort of drunken laugh. "Show Jolene a good time!"

"You've got to be kidding me," I shake my head at Madusa. "I'm not dancing tonight. Not with some random little dude."

"I think I'd surprise you if you gave me a chance, Jolene." I can't tell if the appropriate response would be to laugh or gag. No offense to this guy, but I'm not interested. "Come on, what's one harmless little dance going to do?"

I look to Kimberly for support, but she's got this big, goofy grin on her face. "I think you should do it." She tells me.

I feel betrayed! Even Kimmy has turned against me.

"Show the boy a good time!" Fyre giggles.

"I think you should do it too, Jolene." Paula?! No!

"Have some fun!" Even Stephanie?!

"... Do I have to?" Fuck. I know how this is going to go. I look at all of my girls and they all just give me these devious fuckin' grins. "Goddammit. Fine."

As soon as I stand up, our little waiter takes me by the hand. My so-called friends cheer and whistle as he leads me out to the vibrant dance floor. The tiles are bright and shiny, and there are lights flashing all around us. The music they're playing is something upbeat that I don't recognize; must be some of that pop music shit that is popular these days.

"Just follow my lead and we'll get your friends off your case." The waiter whispers in my ear as we get in position. "I can tell this isn't really your style."

"Dancing isn't my strong suit, that's for sure." It's never been my thing, but I do like to give it a shot every now and then. But with this guy?

At least he's being pretty damn cool about this.

We dance for a few moments, with the whole exchange feeling as awkward as possible. The waiter continues to watch me the entire time, trying to get some sort of grasp on how I think, I'm sure.

"I feel like I'm not really your type, Jolene." His amused words startle me, as by the time he starts speaking, I've mentally checked out of this situation. "Not into little clean-shaven, buff gentlemen?"

"My fiancé is nearly seven foot tall, and his hair is longer than mine." I reply with a smirk. "No offense kiddo, but you're not really my type."

He laughs at this and I can tell this guy is just wanting to have some fun at work. "Yikes. I've never been called 'kiddo' at work before. Did I make that bad of an impression?"

"You're what, twenty-four at most?" I shake my head.

"I'm twenty-two, actually." Damn. Nearly 12 years younger than me. I'm getting old!

"Well, Twenty-Two, lets finish this song up." I tell him with a nonchalant shrug. "I've got some booze that's calling my name."

-

"Jolene? Joli, wake up." I groan as Kimmy calls out my name. She's shaking me, too, which isn't any fun at all. "We're at the hotel."

"Oh fuck, really?" I honestly don't remember falling asleep. I must've passed out as soon as we got in the car; I drank way too fuckin' much, that's for sure.

"Yeah, really." Kimmy playfully scoffs as she unbuckles from her seat. "Come on, girly, you can't stay in here all night. You've got to get some sleep before your big day tomorrow."

Bam! I feel like those words just hit me like a damn (Diesel) truck. I'm getting re-married tomorrow.

Holy. Fucking. Shit. Jolene Alice Milford is permanently going off the market.

"I'm getting married." I say dumbly as I too unbuckle my seatbelt. "Kimmy, I'm getting hitched."

"I know you are, Joli." She's probably so sick of my shit at this point in the night. "Kevin's up in your hotel room right now waiting for you. Page called me on the way here and told me that they'd just made it back."

"What?!" I stutter as I start making my way out of the car. "There's no way the guys got done before us! He's full a' shit."

"Usually he is," Kimmy giggles in agreement, "but he doesn't have any reason to lie about that, Joli."

"Fuck, that's true." She does have a point there.

I walk over to Kimmy, and as she wraps an arm around my waist, she moves one of my arms around her neck. I guess I'm a lot less steady on my feet right now than I though, because I nearly trip over the welcome mat of the hotel. Kimberly doesn't let me fall, though! She's the best friend a girl could ask for.

"Wait!" I exclaim as I grab Kimberly's shoulder. She jumps in surprise before 'shh'ing me. "Am I supposed to see Kev right now? Isn't it bad luck to see your husband the day of the wedding?!" I smack my head. "Fuck! Thomas never told me any of this shit and I'm clueless."

"Joli honey, I promise you it's going to be okay." Kimberly laughs as she pats me on the back. She leads me over to one of the doors and knocks on it. "You'll just part ways in the morning, when you go to get ready for the day."

"Oh. Okay." That makes sense.

The door opens up and Kev greets both me and Kim with a smile. My babe is just wearing a pair of shorts and he's got his hair pulled back. Goddamn, he's handsome - and, he's all mine.

"She's all yours, Kevin." Kimberly chuckles as she gingerly pushes me forward. I don't waste any time in wrapping my arms tightly around my love. "Here you go. She'll be crying for these before too long." I watch as Kim passes a carton of cigarettes to Kev.

"My smokes!" I cheer as Kev slides them into the pocket of his shorts. "Thanks, Kimmy!"

"We'll see you tomorrow, Kimberly. Thanks for showing my girl a good time." Kev and Kim start saying their farewells, but as they do that, I make my way over to the bed.

As I lie here, my swirling mind races all over the place.

I'm getting married again. Thomas has no control over me anymore, does he? He's got nothing that he can hold over my head. I've moved on, completely.

"Kev?" I snuggle into his chest as he lies down beside of me. "Thank you."

"What for?" Kev asks with a laugh.

"For fixing me." I mutter as I close my eyes. I place a kiss on his collarbone and let a smile creep onto my lips. "You've made whole again."

"I love you, Jolene." Kev starts stroking my hair, and I can feel my consciousness slipping away. "Get some rest, babe. Sleep away your last night as a Milford."

As the sweet embrace of sleep washes over me, I wear the brightest of grins.

This is my last night as a Milford. Suck on that, mom and dad.

Chapter 88: mr. & mrs.

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

Holy fuck. This is actually happening. I'm going to be marrying Jolene today.

I'm standing here, looking at myself in the mirror, and it's just hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm about to be a married man. This is weird, and it feels like my heart is about to jump out of my damn chest.

"You okay in there, champ?" Dallas breaks me from my own thoughts. "Forget how to do your tie?"

"Fuck off." I let out a short laugh as I turn around in the bathroom, so that I can face the door. "I didn't forget how to do something that simple. I'm just, uh-"

"You're nervous, aren't you?" I can hear his amused cackle clearly. "That's natural, bro! You're getting hitched to the gal of your dreams. You're going to have some nerves."

"He's actually just terrified, because he knows he's going to be stuck with Jolene for the remainder of his life." Paul chimes in. "That'd be enough to make me to want to hide in the bathroom all day."

"I'm not hiding!" Am I?

"Then come on out." Thanks, Kid.

"If you don't get your ass out of there in thirty seconds, I'm coming in." Jesus, Dallas. "No one wants that."

"Why?" I ask as I open up the door. Dallas, Paul, and Kid are all standing in front of it. They're all wearing tuxedos like I am, and I have to say, these fuckers clean up nicely. "We've still got plenty of time, right?"

"We do, but there are a couple of people that really wants to talk to you before all this goes down." Dallas points behind him with his thumb, and as I follow the line he's pointing, I can't believe my eyes.

"Did any of you slip anything into my drink this morning?" I ask my friends. "Because this shit can't be happening."

There's no fucking way that Chuck and Mary Milford have shown up to their daughter's wedding.

"We're really here, Kevin." I've died, and Chuck is obviously some sort of hellish hallucination that is haunting me because I finger-fucked Joli during Christmas dinner.

"We thought we should talk to you before you..." Mary shudders. "Before you marry Jolene."

"Yeah, uh..." Kid mutters awkwardly. "We'll give you guys some space." He nods towards the door.

"Yep. Sounds good to me." Paul clears his throat before quickly scurrying out of the room. Kid follows closely behind him.

"Hey," Dallas places a hand on my shoulder and leans in close, so that he can whisper in my ear, "You need backup? Because I'll gladly kick their sorry asses out."

"No," I tell him as I shake my head, "I'll handle it." I pause. "Does Joli know they're here?"

"Nope. We're lucky Paula caught them when she did. Poor girl didn't have the heart to turn them away, so she sent them over here." Dallas pats my back. "I'll stay right outside the door. When you're done with them, I'll send them on their way."

"Noted." I tell Dally with a nod, signaling for him to go. As he passes by the parents, he and Chuck exchange glares. "So, what are the two of you doing here?" I ask as Dally closes the door behind him. "Come to fuck up one of the best days of your daughter's life?"

"We don't hate Jolene, Kevin." Mary scoffs.

"You had me fooled." I shrug. I really don't see why these pieces of shit are here. "Honestly, what brought you guys to Florida? We're not exactly close to Virginia."

Chuck lets out this heavy sigh before he starts talking. "We're on vacation, and we leave in the morning. We overheard some fuck at the hotel talking about how a couple of... wrestlers were getting married in the area. I nearly gagged when I heard Jolene's name."

I'm not surprised by Chuck's shitty comments.

"If you're going to try and talk me out of marrying her, you're wasting your time. There's not a single thing that either of you can say or do that will stop me." I tell them bluntly. "I mean all the offense in the world when I say this: You're not welcome here. If Jolene finds out you're here, it'll piss her off. If she gets pissed off, I'll put your heads on the wall."

They both give me these disgusted expressions, but what do they expect from me?

"I had hoped that you would at least attempt to listen to us." Chuck rolls his eyes. "Is it really so wrong that we wanted to come to our daughter's wedding?"

"A wedding that we weren't even invited to, at that!" Mary scoffs. "Or informed of."

"Ever think that there might be a reason for that?" I can't help but laugh at these morons. "Jolene didn't invite you or tell you it was happening because, rightfully, she doesn't a single fuck about either of you. You're here to cause a scene and that's it. You have no reason for being here aside from hurting your daughter."

I wish that Joli and I could have a child, so that we could be better parents than these two fuckers. The only good thing they ever did for Jolene was conceive her.

"You have absolutely no right to tell us what we can or can't do when it comes to Jolene." Mary's trying to intimidate me, but why would I be even the least bit afraid of her? "We are her parents!"

"No." I shake my head. "You're the two dumbasses whose names are listed on her birth certificate. That's not the same thing as being a parent."

"We have the right to be here!" Chuck's resorted to yelling, and honestly, I'm so done with all of this. "She's our daughter!"

"If only you cared half as much about her as you're claiming you do now back when she got married the first time. Maybe then, she would've been spared from the years of abuse that she's still struggling to overcome." I clear my throat loudly. "Dallas! Would you care to escort these douchebags away from my wedding?"

Within a second, Dally has the door opened. He looks at Chuck and Mary with an excited smirk. "I thought you'd never ask."

"You can't do this to us!" Mary screeches as Dallas pushes them out of the room.

"We're her parents!" Chuck repeats.

I just watch with a fuckin' grin as they're taken to their car. Bye-bye, assholes, and good fuckin' riddance.

-

As Kim and Scott begin walking down the aisle together as maid of honor and best man, I find myself frozen in place. This is it. It's show time. I'm about to get married.

Just as we expected, it's hot as fuck out here, but there is still a nice little breeze blowing across the beach. We definitely made the right decision by doing this at night, because even though it's hot now, it was way worse this morning. Besides, I like the look that the newly-darkened sky is giving the scenery. It's fitting, for me and Joli.

The dress that Kim's wearing is really nice and she looks really good in it. I've barely seen Scott at all today, but all things considered, he looks like he's doing well. That does my heart good, because I was worried about how he'd handle everything.

A lot of people may not see Scott as all that reliable, and I admit, he's got his faults. But, when something like this comes up, Scott has a way of manning up for the occasion.

I'm glad he's here. There's no one else that I'd rather have as my best man.

Kim and Scott take their places on the sidelines, and the next couple to come out are Paul and Paula. The irony of the two of them being together has finally come to fruition. Paula looks super fuckin' emotional, too, which actually makes me smile. I'm glad she and Joli have become such good friends.

After Paula and Paul, it's Madusa and Kid. Jeez, they're a funny looking duo, side by side like that. They're the last set of bridesmaids and groomsmen, because really, they're the last people we've got to put in here. I'd have loved to have had Shawn here, but he was impossible to reach.

Next up comes Paula's daughter, Janice. She's our flower girl, and the kid just looks adorable. She's super excited to be here, and fuck, I can relate. Janice throws her petals around before walking over to sit with her father, who is sitting in one of the middle rows.

Once Janice sits down, I know it's time. Oh, it's time.

Is your heart supposed to beat out of your fuckin' chest like this as you watch your fiancé walk down the aisle? I feel like I'm about to go into cardiac arrest, but at the same time, I could probably cry if I wasn't such a hard-ass.

Actually, it's probably going to happen anyway.

I don't deserve someone as beautiful as Jolene. I knew that she would look absolutely stunning in her dress, but... I've never seen anyone more gorgeous than her. That's not an exaggeration. I'm honestly speechless as she slowly walks towards me. I'm completely choked up.

I cast my gaze to Dallas for a moment, and if I had to guess, I'd say I probably look a lot like him right now. He's walking beside of her with this stone-faced expression, but there are tears swelled up in his eyes and he looks like he's about to lose it. I'm so glad that he's here walking her down the aisle instead of Chuck.

Fuck. Joli's crying. Okay. This is great. She's got a big, intoxicating smile on her lips, but a few tears have started to fall down her cheeks. I bet she's going to have Kim on stand-by as soon as this is all over to fix her makeup, because I'm sure that she isn't going to want to go to our reception with her makeup completely smeared.

I think I'm going to cry now, too. Perfect.

As Dallas and Jolene part ways, she whispers, "Thank you," to him, and I think it breaks both my heart and Dally's. He pats Joli's back, sends me a teary smile, and goes to his spot. Fuck, okay, yeah, I'm crying now.

Neither of us wanted a long ceremony, so the official quickly gets to the point. Joli fumbles over her vows, but I happen to think that the 'fuck's and 'shit's that she mutters under her breath are fuckin' adorable. How is it that even on our wedding day, she's finding ways to make me love her even more?

I think my vows come out in a legible, steady voice, but I'm probably not the best judge for that. The look on the official's face once I'm finished makes me feel otherwise.

"... Do you, Jolene, take Kevin to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Holy fuck. I can't take my eyes off of my babe as I slip the ring onto her finger.

"I do." God, her voice is shaky but I can tell she's completely certain about what we're doing. My sweet babe.

"And do you, Kevin, take Jolene to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Hell yeah, I do."

"In that case, you may now kiss the bride. I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Nash. Congratulations."

I hear party poppers exploding and people cheering all around us, but I'm focused on the long, loving kiss that Joli and I share to celebrate our marriage. We pull back and I place my forehead against hers, giving Jolene the purest smile I've ever had.

"I love you, babe. Goddamn, I fucking love you, Jolene." The words just spew from my mouth, and after Jolene lets out a small, cute laugh, she kisses me again.

"We did. We actually fucking did it." Jolene grins. "I love you Kevin."

I stand back up straight and as I grab Joli's hand, I turn to face the crowd of friends and co-workers that showed up for us.

"We're fucking married!" I scream happily as I raise Joli's arm up, like we just won a fucking championship together. I guess, in some way, we did. Everyone cheers and looks at me and Joli like we're a fucking king and queen.

I never want to forget the way that I feel right now, so ridiculously happy. This is the best fucking day of my life.

Chapter 89: a toast

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

So this is it, huh? Jolene's officially a married woman again, and Kev's the lucky guy that's going to have her for the rest of eternity. The day has finally come, the vows have been said, and the deal has been sealed.

I'm happy for them. There's a part of my selfish heart that wishes it were me instead of Kev that Jolene married, but fuck it. The look on her beautiful face as she married my best friend was - and is - good enough for me. I may be one hell of a self-centered son-of-a-bitch, but the last thing I want is to ruin this for them.

I mean shit, Joli's parents have already tried to crash this thing. They're the reason that, even as we all relax at the reception, we've got security posted around the area. It's partially to keep things private, as Joli assumes, and partially to keep her jackass parents away from the beach.

We're still outside for this shindig, but we're under this nice little canopy. There's been all kinds of food, drinks (including alcoholic ones, which I've refrained from touching thanks to Paul's harsh guidance), jokes, and enough good company to make anyone smile.

I think Joli's also gone through at least half a pack of cigarettes. It's so much easier for her to smoke away her feelings than cry them out in front of everyone.

"Attention, everyone!" Dallas' loud voice booms over the crowd as he stands up on one of the tables. Like the rest of us guys that were in the ceremony, he's shed his suit jacket and his white undershirt is drenched in sweat. "I need my sexy babe of a wife and that crazy Scarface wannabe to get their asses over here!"

"Thanks!" I call out with a laugh as I stand up from my chair and walk over to where he's at. Dally sends me a grin, which I reciprocate. Kim leaves her seat at the table with Joli and Paula and joins us.

"All right, guys, it's time for the moment I'm sure that at least Kevin and Jolene have been waiting for since they got married." Dallas gives a comical smirk. "The speeches!" I see Joli send Kev a look of amusement. "Which of you wants the honor of embarrassing the happy couple first?"

Dallas jumps down off the table and grabs a wired mic from the nearby floor. He looks between me and Kim, waiting for us to decide.

"Ladies first." I tell her, motioning for Dallas to hand her the mic. "I know you're going to be a tough act to follow, though."

"She's worked hard on this." Dallas gives Kim a proud smile before kissing her cheek and putting the mic in her hand. "Make my lil sis cry some more, babe."

I wish I had a love as strong as what these two have. It's easier for me to be jealous of them than Joli and Kev; I don't feel guilty this way. Dallas and Kimberly are a great couple.

As Kim tests the mic, I take a seat on the same table that Dallas had stood on. Kim takes position in front of me, ready to give her speech.

"Dallas and I met Jolene back in the late summer of '91, at the bar she used to work at. Although I knew that Jolene and I would become good friends once we started working in the business together, I had absolutely no idea just how close we would become. Jolene Alice Milford Nash is my best friend in the entire world, and in the nearly nine years that we've known each other, I've never seen her happier than she has been tonight."

I look over at Joli as Kimberly speaks, and currently, Joli is shakily getting a cigarette out of her carton. Kev stops her, and motions with his head for her to just focus on Kim. I can see her mutter something under her breath, and I'm guess it's along the lines of, "Goddammit."

"The Jolene I first met was a single woman that had just divorced her high school sweetheart," A real piece of shit, "and wasn't looking for anything serious as far as relationships. She had no interest in dating, and as a beautiful young woman, who could blame her? Joli's been waiting to give her heart to the right guy, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the right guy for her is Kevin."

I agree completely. Kev's a blessing to Joli.

"Joli's a bit rough around the edges and she tends to come off as someone that doesn't really care much people as a whole. Honestly, that's the truth. But, one thing I can say is that when Joli really cares about someone, she gives them everything she has." Kimberly smiles. "Kevin, Jolene loves you with everything in her tiny little body."

Kev slings an arm around his wife and pulls her over to his side, all the while wearing a grin. They're both drenched in sweat, but neither one of them give a shit. This is what it looks like when two motherfuckers are in love.

"Another thing I have to say, which I'm sure Joli is going to scold me for," Kim blows Joli a kiss, "is that Kevin, you have helped her tremendously. Your love has lifted Jolene up and filled the hole in her heart that I'm sure she figured could never be fixed. She'd prefer to seem tough, but she's grateful for each and every thing that you do for her, and she's a better her because you've been there for her."

"You're making me seem like a total pussy!" Joli calls out as Kim pauses. She's crying again, which is obvious by the way her makeup has once more smeared. "Come on, Kimmy."

"Jolene is more of a fighter than a lover, but when it comes to Kevin, she would happily do both. She'll fight anyone that she has to for him, although he certainly doesn't need any protection." Kimberly pauses as people laugh. "At the same time, she's got more love than anyone could ever expect for her to give, and it all goes to Kevin."

Yeah. Yeah, it does.

"There's a lot that can be said about their relationship, and I'm not sure that I could do it justice. Just look at those two!" Kimberly looks like she's about to start crying herself, but her voice is strong. "You've got a tiny, sassy beauty and a hilarious, badass brute that complete each other." Kimberly sighs happily. "Jolene and Kevin are perfect for one another."

"But," Kimberly concludes, "I think I'll pass the mic to the best man. I've said a lot, and I can see Joli glaring at me from here." She laughs. "I have nothing but high hopes for our happy couple's future together. If there are any two people that can survive this crazy ride called 'life' together, it's Kevin and Jolene. Congratulations, you two! I love you both!"

I join in the applause for Kimberly, who, as soon as she hands me the microphone, bursts into happy tears.  It's honestly a heartwarming sight. She's genuinely so happy for her best friend and her new husband, and that's fuckin' admirable. Kimberly Page is a super sweet woman.

"I guess it's my turn to take over here, huh?" I chuckle as I look out at the crowd that's still here. "Damn. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to go after Kim, but shit! You've gone and made my speech look like nothing, and I haven't even really started yet."

I flash Kim a grin, and, with teary eyes, she returns it.

"This wasn't exactly an easy thing for me to write, because I've never really had to speak from the heart about two people I care about so much. But fuck, when you're the best man during the wedding of your best friends, what can you do?" I hide my nervousness with a smile.

"From the day Kev returned to WCW four years ago, he and Joli were inseparable. Sure, they'd been close during Kev's first run, but after he came back?" I whistle. "It was almost impossible to keep them apart."

I drove them together, because I was afraid of getting close to Jolene.

"Jolene and Kevin are great people, and honestly, I don't think that there is anyone more perfect for either of them than each other." I chuckle and clear my throat. "Lets talk about Big Kev for a moment, shall we?" I hold my hand out towards Kev, who is grinning as he holds Joli close.

"I've seen Kev through a lot of stages of his life. Just in our friendship, we've had a lot of ups and downs; most of which have been my fault, but I digress." I laugh away the jab at myself. "He's one of the toughest motherfuckers I've ever met, but Jolene brings out a different side of him. She's good for him, you know?"

They deserve each other.

"And Joli..." I grin. "She's the most loyal gal I think I've ever met. I mean, have you seen the way she sticks to WCW?" Everyone, including myself, laughs as Joli jokingly flips me off. "It's funny, yeah, but I think that also proves a good point about her. When Joli gives her all to something, it doesn't matter how hard things get; she'll hang in there. I'm sure the same thing will carry over into this marriage."

Hell, I know that. Jolene and Kev are going to be together forever.

"I'm proud of both Kev and Joli, for the bond that they share. It's something that is really uncommon, especially when it comes to people that get together in the wrestling business. So many times, couples get together and they break apart just because of how difficult and busy this life that we live is. Honestly though, that doesn't phase Kev and Joli. They get their shit done and still make sure that they spend enough personal time with each other."

I wink at Kev, and he shakes his head at me with this happy fuckin' grin. I glance over at Joli, who is staring at me with such an adorable look that it melts my heart.

Kevin Nash, you're a lucky motherfucker.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love these two goofballs and I wish them the greatest, longest marriage of all time." I sit the mic down for just a moment, so that I can go grab a glass of water off of a nearby table. "All right, everyone! Grab you drinks."

I watch as glasses are lifted off of the tables and all eyes are once more cast upon me.

"As I wrap this thing up, I propose a toast." I declare as I hold my drink towards the night sky. "To Kevin and Jolene, my favorite fuckers in the world. May your hearts stay full of love and your sex life never grow dull!"

Everyone laughs as they cheer, clinking glasses with the person next to them. I down the water in my cup as my eyes scan the crowd, looking for reactions. Paul sends me a little smirk, and I think he's happy with my speech. That's good. His girl, Steph, smiles at me and Kid sends me a thumbs up, so I guess all went well.

I wave to everyone as I sit the mic back down and return to the table I'd been at before. Before my ass even touches my seat, I'm stopped by a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey. Thanks for that, man." I turn around and look up at Kev as he speaks. "That was nice."

"No problem. I couldn't give a shitty speech at your wedding, could I?" I playfully punch Kev's sweaty chest, which I immediately regret. "Joli would never let me live it down."

At the mention of the new Mrs. Nash, Kev turns his head to glance at her. As I wipe the sweat off of my hand on my pants, I follow his gaze.

Joli's smoking at the edge of the canopy, and she's got Kimberly, Paula, and Madusa with her. They're all chatting it up, and it looks like Joli's struggling to keep herself together again. It's been so odd, seeing her so emotional like this, but it's what I expected would happen. Joli doesn't cry much, but when she does, she usually cries a lot.

"Seriously, man." Kev says as we turn back to look at each other. "Thank you. I know that was probably rough, but-"

"Don't." I shake my head. "Don't even say anything about that. The only thing I have to do with today is the fact that I got to be your best man." I give Kev a small smile. "You trusted me. I may have fucked a lot of things up, but I'd rather die than add this to that list."

Kev looks like he's about to say something, but instead he just wraps those big arms of his around me and brings me in for a hug. It takes me a second to hug him back, but I give this son-of-a-bitch the type of big hug he deserves.

"No matter what shit goes on, you'll always be my brother." Kev tells me as he pulls back. Now we're both covered in each other's sweat. Fun. "Don't forget that, all right?"

"I won't if you won't." I tell him with a smirk. We exchange laughs before I ask him, "But why are you doing still talking to me?" Kev looks at me, confused. "You've got a smokin' hot wife over there and you're wasting your time on me." I smack his upper arm and point towards Joli. "Go! Go on, now!"

"All right, I'm going!" Kev chuckles as he leaves. "Thanks, brother!"

I sit back down in my chair and watch as the happy couple reunites once again. I really do want the best for them.

"How're you feeling?" What's with everyone coming up behind me like this? I turn around to look at Madusa. "Your speech was good."

"I'm fine." I tell her as she takes a seat beside of me. "Thanks."

"Are you fine, Scott?" I raise a brow at Madusa as she talks. "You looked like you were having a rough time up there." She pauses. "I mean, you fucking killed it, but I'm sure watching your best friend marry the girl you're crazy about isn't easy."

"Hey!" I frown. "I don't know what you're going on about. I'm happy for them. Those are-"

"Yeah, I know that they're your best friends." Madusa interrupts me. "I just want to know how you're holding up, that's all."

"What's it mater, how I'm doing?" I don't get what she's hinting at here. "I'm fine. I told you that. There's no reason to focus on me today."

"You matter too, hard ass." Madusa laughs. I can smell the alcohol on her breath, but I don't think she's really drunk yet. "Don't let Joli get you down. The gal's great, and I'm glad she let me be in her wedding, but don't let her happiness fuck with you. No one wants that."

I expect her to say more, but instead, she stands up. Madusa ruffles my hair as she leans in close to my ear and whispers, "You're tough, Scott. There are more options out there."

As Madusa saunters away, I watch her in bewilderment. What the fuck just happened?

This has been one of the weirdest fucking days ever.

Chapter 90: married life

Jolene Nash's POV

- - -

The wind blowing across my face as I look out at the ocean brings a smile to my lips. My hair is flying in several different directions, but that doesn't bother me all that much; after all, the sun just rose. It's way too early for me to worry about simple little things like this.

Kev and I are staying at this little cottage for the next couple of days, just to enjoy some time to ourselves. I mean, fuck, we just got married yesterday! We don't have to rush into any adventures just yet.

God, that's such a weird thing to say. Kev and I are married. Hitched. We tied that fuckin' knot.

I walk over to my nightstand so that I can grab my cigarettes and my lighter. Kev's snoring away, and I really just have to stare at him for a minute. Is that weird, to just watch as someone sleeps? Fuck it, I don't care.

My husband is one handsome man. Just looking at him now, I can feel my heart flutter in my chest. This man brings so much happiness into my life and I'm not sure I can ever express how much I love him. I just want to wrap my arms around him and never let him go.

Before I return to the window, I walk over to Kev's side of the bed so that I can easily place a kiss on his cheek. He doesn't sell it, but that's all right. I don't want to wake him up.

Honestly, I'm surprised that I'm up as early as I am. I guess that's part of what sucks about our schedule in WCW, aside from the obvious things like having to deal with the undesirables - he doesn't deserve to be thought about on my honeymoon. What I'm trying to say is, I'm used to waking up early. I hate it, but that's how it is.

For all intents and purposes, I really should still be asleep, though. As I place my cigarette in my mouth and light it up, I can feel my body begin to protest. That sexy piece of ass that's snoozing on the bed really wrecked me last night, but goddamn, I enjoyed every moment of it. A chill races down my spine as the memories play back in my mind.

I have to close my eyes for a moment as I lean slightly out of the window, so that I can enjoy the images that are coming into my mind. I squeeze my thighs together as my lower half starts to throb again, in an attempt to cool it off. I really shouldn't be thinking like this, not when Kev's still asleep.

Okay. Abrupt subject changes are always nice, right?

You know, it really is hard for me to believe that I'm a married gal again. I cast my gaze down to the ring on my left hand, and once again I'm stuck with these wild palpitations. I feel so differently now than I did the morning after Thomas and I got married.

On that morning, I had been happy, but I think that in the back of my mind I had known that it would never last. Aside from that, it's hard to completely enjoy your honeymoon when you have someone bitching at you the entire time - it's even harder when that person is supposedly the love of your life.

God, I do not miss that piece of shit. Just thinking of him makes me stomach turn, but at the same time, it doesn't hurt like it used to. I don't feel like I'm going to cry at the mere idea of his existence, though it is quite pitiful that he's still kicking it. If the motherfucker dropped dead tomorrow, I'd probably just smile and go on with my day.

I doubt I'll ever completely be over him - I'm sure that's not possible. At the same time though, I'm a lot better off than I was. I think that's what matters the most.

Besides, how can I give a damn about someone like Thomas when I've got Kev?

I love Kev so very much, and as I stand here, smoking away, I still don't think my mind has processed the fact that he's mine forever. I guess, due in part to all of the Thomas shit, it's a little hard to accept that someone as wonderful as Kev is my husband now. I'm a lucky woman.

After I finish my cigarette, I grab a bottle of water out of the case that we have in the corner of the room. It's not long after I sit back down on our bed that Kev begins to stir.

"Hey." Kev sleepily wraps an arm around my waist. "What're you doing up, babe?"

"You know how it goes." I tell him as I sit my bottle on the nightstand. "Woke up early, as per the norm."

"Uh-huh." Kev mutters as he slowly scoots towards me. He moves so that his cheek rests on my bare knee, but he keeps his eyes closed. He's still very tired, but he's starting to wake up more. "I fuckin' love you, you know that, right?"

I smile as I brush his light hair away from his face. "I love you too, Kev." There's nothing I've ever been more sure of.

"Good. That's pretty cool, isn't it? We love each other." Kev sighs contently. "We're married."

"We are. That happened." I can't help but laugh at my sleepy babe. I watch as a smile creeps onto Kev's face as he lies here, resting on my lap. Really, what did I do to deserve someone so wonderful?

"I'm proud of us." Kev tells me before falling silent for a moment. I can tell he's trying to force himself to wake up more, something that is proven when he sits up and rubs his hands over his face. "Hold on a second." He looks over at me with a smile before hauling his ass up and heading to the bathroom.

"Okay?" I laugh as he leaves. "Way to leave me on a cliffhanger, babe."

I really have no idea what the fuck he was going to say, but it can't be that important if he's making me wait during his bathroom break.

Kev's gone for a couple of minutes, and as I wait, I just look over at the window. Man, our view is beautiful and I'm getting to share it with the most handsome fellow in the entire world. Damn.

"All right, so what I was going to say," Kev talks as he walks back over to the bed, "is that I'm super fuckin' proud of you, too. I'm really damn proud of you baby." After he takes a seat on his side of the bed, I rest my head against his upper arm. "You've come a long way from all of the shit you've gone through." He then leans down, so that he can place a kiss on the top of my head. "You're the toughest, most badass woman I know."

Hearing Kev say those things makes me beyond happy. None of the progress that I've made with my heart would have been possible without him, and there's no one that I would rather have as my husband. What we've got is special, the kind of bond that comes around once in a lifetime.

"I've been through shit, but I'd do it all again if meant I got to have you for the rest of my life." I move so that I'm sitting up on my knees. As I gently turn Kev's head to face me, I can't help but smile. "I love you, Kevin."

"Jesus fuck, I love you too, Jolene." Kev gives me this sexy smile before leaning in and connecting our lips together.

The kiss starts off sweet, but it doesn't take any time at all for it to become far more passionate. As our lips and tongues fight against one another, Kev gently pushes me back against our bed. When the need for air consumes us and forces us to separate, Kev scoots off the bed and stands at the edge of it.

"And here I thought you were all worn out." I tease as I pull my tank top over my head. It's the only thing I've been wearing, aside from a skimpy little pair of shorts that are the next to go. "Who says big guys don't have any stamina?"

"You give me a few hours sleep and I'm fuckin' good to go, sweetheart." Kev laughs as he drops his shorts to the floor, exposing his semi-hard cock. "If you want it, I'm always willing to please."

"And please you do." Fuck, I need him. "Get your ass back over here."

Kev grabs me by my heels and pulls me close to the edge of the bed, so that he can easily slide a hand down my body. He starts by stroking my cheek, then he teases the delicate skin of my neck. On the way down, he roughly grabs my right breast and tweaks my nipple. The actions send a chill through my body, and as a gasp escapes my lips, my back arches up for him.

"I love your body." Kev's lust-filled voice is without a doubt the most captivating sound I've ever heard. "Fuck, you're perfect."

"I'm all yours." I smirk at my husband as he begins to move his hand closer to where I really need him. Kev trails a single finger down from my breast to my hips, eventually stopping right above my clitoris. I hear him release a small chuckle, so I look up at him with a pout. "Stop teasing me, Kevin."

"What if I don't want to?" Kev hums as he fully moves his hand down to his my crotch. His thumb softly strokes my clit, while he teases my lower lips with a couple of his long fingers. The moan that comes from my mouth is more like a whine than anything. "Maybe I enjoy watching you squirm like this?"

"Oh, come on." He's really making me work for this, isn't he? As Kev continues to rub me, I rock my body against his hand. The feeling of his fingers just sliding around is driving me crazy.

"Beg for it." God, he's hot. "Let me know how much you really want this, Jolene."

I'm not a woman who is prone to begging, but when it comes to my husband's godly dick, I'll do whatever he fuckin' wants me to.

"Please fuck me, babe." I bat my eyelashes up at Kev. "I need it. I need it so bad. I think you know that." I gently bite on my bottom lip as I place my hand on the one of Kev's that he's been teasing me with. I look him in the eyes as I direct his fingers down to my dripping entrance.

"Goddamn, I think you might be right." If Kev wasn't so wildly sexy, I might be offended by his smug remark. "I think you need me."

"I do." I give Kev a flirty smile as I sit up on the bed. I move so that I'm on my elbows and knees in front of him. "I need you so bad, babe." I tell him while taking his cock into my hand. I stroke his length a couple of times before taking it into my mouth, little by little.

I moan softly around Kev's hard, throbbing member as one of his hands reaches down and grabs the back of my head. I've always adored the feeling of his fingers pulling on my hair as I suck him; really, it's quite nice.

"Okay," Kev's voice is raspy, "Okay, enough of that. Flip your ass over. If you keep this- Agh, fuck!" He breaks off into a loud groan as I quicken my speed and begin to bob my head. "Goddammit, I can't fuck you if you make me blow my load now!"

That's the kind of reaction I was hoping for. I swirl my tongue around Kev's cock as I remove my mouth from it, but when I reach his tip, I give it a quick kiss. As soon as I've let his cock go, Kev takes over once again. He pulls me up and flips me around, so that I'm in the same sort of position, but with my ass in the air facing him.

"Fuck me." I beg as I look at Kev over my shoulder. The look of desire that he gives me brings a smirk to my face, but it doesn't last long. As soon as Kev slides his dick inside of me, my face drops to the bed.

"Come on, Jolene," Kev grunts as he thrusts into me, "Work it, babe! Fuckin' give it to me!"

I comply, moving my body to rock perfectly against his. My fingers dig into the sheets as Kev's hands wrap around my hips, lifting me up so that he can find the perfect angle to fuck me from. I feel myself becoming weaker and weaker with each hit of my g-spot. This is exactly what I needed this morning.

Isn't my husband the greatest?

We continue making our sweet love until Kev's no longer able to compete. Of course, by the point he's worn out, I'm long-gone; but, I keep putting in as much work as I can to help get him there. I don't collapse onto the bed until he's came and pulled out of me.

"Fuck!" Kev playfully exclaims as he flops down beside of me, lying on his back. Falling down on the bed like that probably wasn't a good idea, because I can feel it shake as he connects with it, but I really don't give too much of a shit at this point.

It takes me a moment to gather the strength to roll over, but honestly the main reason I do it is because breathing isn't easy when you're laying face-first in the sheets. I snuggle up to Kev as he lazily drapes an arm across my back.

"I guess married life can be pretty damn cool, huh?" I give Kev a small smile as I trace incoherent shapes on his chest. "That was good."

"Good?" Kev softly laughs. "That was fuckin' amazing and you know it."

"It was all right." I teasingly tell him, making him playfully push my shoulder.

"Yeah, that's why I had you in a fucking puddle as you begged for my cock. Okay." God, Kevin can be such an arrogant son-of-a-bitch. It's hot. "You're not a very good liar, baby."

"Shut up." I grin and Kev laughs even more.

Before long, we're both just lying here, laughing at whatever comes to our mind. Even though we're both worn out and reeking of sex, we've got the brightest of smiles on our lips. These are the little moments that mean the most to me.

As we drift back into sleep, neither of us have a care in the world. The day is still young and we're just two goofballs that happened to fall in love.

Chapter 91: bite me

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

The moment that Joli and I walk into the Nitro arena, I can tell that it's going to be a long fucking night. Everyone seems like they're on edge, and the people that happen to glance at us soon drop their heads. What the hell is going on?

I mean, I didn't expect all of the random jabronis to congratulate us on our wedding, but I expected more from some of these little shits.

"What's everyone's problem?" Joli asks as we make our way to the locker room, like she read my mind. "This is weird."

"Yeah, you said it." Honestly, I'm not even sure if I want to know what the reason is. It's probably something stupid. "But if they want to act like this, fuck 'em. Whatever."

"Fuck 'em." Joli nonchalantly agrees. We leave it at that, until of course, we can't.

I should have known that the first person to talk to us after our return would be my wife's mortal enemy. Who else could it be?

"It's about time that the two of you returned." Eric's smiling, but it's that ugly, shit-eating smile that he's known for. Gross. "I wasn't sure if you would ever show back up."

"Thanks. The wedding was great, actually, and we had a wonderful time on our honeymoon." I tell Eric, as though he had asked. "Jolene and I fucked until she could no longer walk, and even then I still had her begging for me. At that point, I-"

"A week and a half. That's how long that you two were gone for all of your martial activities." Why does he sound like a pissed off principal? "Ten days. Ten."

"Yeah," Joli scoffs, "You think we don't know that?" She shakes her head. "Those are ten goddamn days that we put in for. We got the A-Okay months ago when we set a date for our wedding. It's not our fault that you can't keep up with your workers."

"As per protocol, all employees are supposed to check in before they take such a long period off." Eric's so full of shit. "Neither of you said a word about it. You're lucky that everyone that went to your wedding isn't in trouble, too."

"Get the stick out of your ass, Bischoff." I wave him off. "You're not going to punish them for anything. What, are you mad that you weren't invited?"

Eric doesn't seem the least bit amused by my joke, but Joli snickers. That's all that matters to me.

"What's got you in such a pleasant mood today, Eric?" Joli's mocking tone makes me want to kiss her. "Miss us?"

"WCW is in no position to do without top-level talent such as yourself." Eric scolds me, just to imply that Joli isn't important. This motherfucker. "We cannot risk you being elsewhere right now, Kevin."

"Buzz off. I'm not taking shit for getting married. There's nothing that you can say that is going to make me feel bad about it." And honestly, it's pissing me off that he's even trying.

"The company is in rough shape, Kevin." Eric tries to grab my arm, but I smack his nasty little hand away. "You. Me. Creative meeting. Tonight."

"What, did you forget how to speak in full sentences?" Joli antagonizes him. "I'm not surprised. It's probably hard to keep a lot of knowledge in that tiny brain of yours."

"Stop." Eric tells her simply. "This is a conversation between men."

"Bite me." Joli says venomously as she flips Eric off. I proudly wrap an arm around her shoulders and bring her close.

I can tell just by the way that her muscles are tensed that she's about to snap on this fucker. Then again, do I really want to stop her?

"Tell you what, Eric." I pat his dumb little noggin. "I might come by and see you later, I might not. If I do, we'll have a nice, long talk about the state of the company." God, he looks so pissed at us. "Now scoot out of the way. We've got stuff to do."

I don't even give him time to reply. I walk past Eric while holding Joli protectively at my side. She can handle herself, sure, but I don't really think that it's a good idea for her and Eric to get into it right now.

After all, I hate to say it, but he's right. World Championship Wrestling is dying, but I don't think that there is anything that anyone can do about it at this point. Changes needed to be made ages ago, when we started losing the lead in the ratings. Our product has just become too outrageous and repetitive for people to care about.

But fuck, I guess that's what happens when you have a bunch of morons that don't really understand the business running a company this big.

"One of these days, I'm going to give that little cunt everything that's coming to him." Joli grumbles as we walk. "I wish he'd never been put back in power."

There's a hint of sadness in Joli's voice, but I can't blame her. I know she enjoyed every moment that Eric was gone, and ever since he came back she's been on edge.

Even now, on our first day at work as a married couple, Eric's making her feel bad. Fuck him.

When we get to the locker room, I spot Scott's bag, but he's no where to be seen. It's rare that he beats us to the arena, whenever we don't travel together.

"The fuck?" I laugh as I point out Scott's bag to Joli. "When does this happen?"

"Shit, what?" Joli sounds as surprised as I do. "Scott never shows up before us. That's... weird."

It is. It's very weird, but I'm not going to question it. Maybe he's been working hard while we've been gone? Or maybe he had a meeting or some shit that he had to go to?

Joli and I drop off our bags and then we head out to kill some time. It seems like everyone has mellowed out a little bit since our conversation with Eric, or maybe we just passed the people that had been intimidated by him? I'm assuming that he had just told everyone about how we were the ones making things fall apart.

There are some people that actually come up to me and Joli though, people we don't normally talk to.


"Hey! Congrats on the wedding!" Jericho shouts as he and Benoit pass by.

"Yeah! Congrats!" Benoit chimes in. "Me and Nancy are getting married later this year!"

"Thanks, boys!" I wave at them as they leave.


"I'm not sure marrying Nancy is the best idea, given her history with Sullivan, but by all means, go right ahead." Joli shrugs as we continue on our way. Although I agree with her, I'm glad she waited until Benoit was out of earshot to say that.

It's in the main hallway that we find Scott. I've got to say, he's shocked the hell out of me.

Scott's got Madusa pressed up against the side of one of the walls, and from the looks of it he has his tongue shoved all of the way down her throat. One of his hands is sliding up her shorts, and fuck, it looks like they're about to start dry humping the hell out of each other.

Madusa is a good choice, don't get me wrong, but I guess it's just a little surprising to see her and Scott together. I didn't think that they had ever really talked much, at least, before Joli and I got hitched.

"I guess it's true what they say, about groomsmen and bridesmaids." I tell Joli with a laugh as I go to check her reaction. She looks like she's as confused as I am, if not more.

"Madusa, huh?" Joli sounds impressed. "How long were we gone?"

"Long enough for these two to hookup." I shrug as we walk over to Scott and Madusa. I tap Scott's shoulder as I say, "Hey. Long time no see."

Originally as Scott turns around to look at us, he glares. Once he realizes it's me and Joli, though, he simmers down. Both he and Madusa clear their throats and fix their clothing before talking to us.

"Oh, uh, hey, guys!" Scott greets us with a grin. "I wondered when you'd get here."

"You two bangin' now?" I ask as I look between Scott and Madusa.

"You don't waste any time, do you?" Madusa laughs.

"It's a valid question!" Joli chimes in. "Fuck. I never imagined you two would get together."

"Oh, don't get it wrong." Scott shakes his head. He's got an amused little smile on his face. "This little thing we've got going is anything but serious. We're both just in need of a good fuck."

Yeah, uh, okay man. Because that obviously worked out so well for everyone before.

Ah, shit, I shouldn't think that way. I just know the way his mind and his heart work.

"We have fun together. I don't see anything wrong with that." Madusa gives Scott a smirk. Based on this look she's got on her face, I'm not entirely sure she's as emotionally distanced in this thing as Scott is.

Then again, what do I know? I'm probably completely wrong about that. It's Madusa. How am I supposed to know what she's feeling?

"Whatever you guys want to do with your time is your concern, not ours." I glance at Joli as she talks. She's looking at Madusa with an amused grin. "Fuck who you want."


Scott and Madusa both laugh before Scott clears his throat and asks, "You guys talk to Bischoff yet?"

Joli instinctively groans and I can't help but sigh. I raise my brow at Joli as she looks at me, as if to say, "Do you want to take this, or should I?"

"Unfortunately." Joli tells them as she grumpily slips her hands into the pockets of her shorts. "I can't believe that little prick had the nerve to shit on us for taking our honeymoon!"

"He's been bugging the hell out of us every single day since the wedding, wondering when you'd be back." Madusa rolls her eyes. "We tried to get him off your asses, but he wasn't willing to listen."

"He never listens when it comes to this shit." I say as I shake my head. "If we weren't who we are, it wouldn't have been near as big of a deal."

"I'd really like to see him try and punish us for this." My girl is fired up about it and rightfully so. "It's not our fault that he can't keep a relationship. Really, I'd be surprised if anyone found even one thing about him appealing." Joli fake gags.

"Honestly, it's alarming how much he hates you, Joli." It is, isn't it, Madusa? "I mean, I've known he's a misogynistic twat since I signed on, but he's got something special against you."

"It's because I don't put up with his shit." My babe sounds so proud of herself. Joli pauses for a brief moment before adding, "You know, it's really odd to think that there was a time that I didn't completely hate Bischoff. Hell, there were times that I could actually tolerate him." She then shudders. "That's gross."

"At this point, I'm surprised that you didn't burst into flames just by admitting that." I joke as I rub Joli's back.

"I'm an honest woman, Kevin." Joli places a hand over her heart. "I may be stubborn, but I can admit when I've made a mistake. I don't think that there is any bigger mistake than trusting Bitchoff."

I mean, that's honestly up there. I don't trust him at all, but I guess I deal with him as much as I have to because of the job. With WCW falling more and more into bankruptcy each day, who knows how much longer we'll even be working together?

"He's done a lot of shitty things to a lot of good people." Madusa says bitterly. "One day, it'll catch up to him."

"That day is going to be soon, if he keeps this shit going." The look on my babe's face as she speaks hurts my heart. "But you know what? Fuck him. Fuck that bitch." She shakes her head and then gives the three of us a bright smile. "You two hungry? We can go grab something to eat before we've all got to get dressed for the show."

"Like a double date?" I wiggle my brows at Scott and Madusa. Scott laughs my comment off, but Madusa seems like she's into the idea. "Come on. Let's go grab some grub." I motion towards the exit with my head.

"Food sounds good to me." Scott tells Madusa. When she agrees, he smacks her ass before going to lead us on our way. Madusa catches up with him, and the two of them walk ahead of me and Joli.

"There's something going on there." Joli whispers, confirming my suspicions. "I don't know what, but it's something."

"I agree." I whisper back. "She's into him."

"He just needs to be into her."

It's such a simple, true fact, but I wonder if that will be the downfall of Scott and Madusa's little fling?

"Hey!" Scott interrupts our conversation. He and Madusa are way ahead of us. "You two coming or what?"


"It's not our fault you sped off!" Joli calls back with a laugh. "Let's go catch up with these lovebirds."


As Joli and I fast walk to Scott and Madusa, I can't help but wonder how this whole relationship between the two of them is going to go. If it's not going to work out, hopefully they're able to call it off before either of them get hurt.

Chapter 92: that's it

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

Every time I think WCW can't fall even further into the shithole, something else happens that blows my mind.

"... You?! You've got to be shitting me! You don't really think your dumb ass could run the entire company, do you?!"

Today, we've been given the news that Eric wants to buy WCW. Joli's not too happy about it.

"Yes, Jolene, I do. If there is anyone around here that could fix World Championship Wrestling, it's me. We need better management, and what better place to start than the top?"

"You're the reason we're in this shitty situation in the first place!" She's right. It's not completely Eric's fault, but if someone has to take the blame, it should be him.

"I know you may think that everything wrong with your beloved WCW happened because of me, but that isn't the case." Eric turns to Kev, who has been doing the exact same thing as me and Madusa - silently watching the argument. "Please, control your wife."

"She doesn't listen to me." Kev shrugs nonchalantly. "You're wasting your breath arguing with her. There's not a goddamn thing that you could say to change her mind."

"If anyone is going to buy our company, why should it be you?!" There's so much frustration in Joli's tiny body, and it'd be safe to say that a good eighty percent of it is directed at Eric Bischoff. "Is all of that money that you swindled out of ol' Billionaire Ted burning a hole in your pocket?"

Eric's rather calm about all of this, which kind of worries me. Is he planning something? Fuck, I can feel my stomach churn at the mere thought of whatever the fuck it is he has up his sleeve.

The bitch lets out a sigh before flickering his narrowed eyes over Joli. "I've got more important things to take care of than stopping your tantrum." He clears his throat in a loud, obnoxious way  before nodding to me and Kev. "I'll see you later, gentlemen. I have some business to discuss with the Turner Broadcasting System."

Eric scurries past me and Kev, and as he walks away, both Joli and Madusa flip him the bird. I'm used to Eric treating Joli like shit, but why does he have to try and throw Madusa under the bus, too? He's such a piece of garbage. I don't see how anyone could be so shitty to women, especially two as hot as Joli and Madusa.

"He's not normally that bad to me." Madusa comments as soon as Eric's out of sight. "Damn. I feel like I need to jump in the pool after being exposed to that much heat."

Joli smiles proudly up at Madusa - if there's one thing that can be said for the new Mrs. Nash, it's that she's never given a single fuck how much heat she garners.

"That's something you'll get used to, hanging out with all of us." Kev chuckles. "You can't be in with the Kliq if you don't draw as much heat as the fuckin' desert."

"I threw a goddamn title belt in a trash can on national television." Madusa smirks at Kev. "I know a thing or two about heat."

"Damn right you do." I smack Madusa's ass and then kiss her cheek. "Life's no fun if everyone likes you."

Luckily enough, that's something that none of us have ever had to worry about.

"As nice as all of this is, can we take this outside?" Joli asks as she reaches into her pocket. "Just seeing that dick-hole's face makes me need a smoke."

Since none of us are brave enough to come between Joli and her nicotine, we head to the nearest exit. On our way, Dallas and Kimberly join up with us - something about big news that they've got to share.

"There's nothing important enough to stop me from smoking." Joli tells them as she opens up the door. She's right.

Once we're outside, we all settle down at a nearby table. Even though it's right by the door, by the time we sit down, Joli has already taken a quick drag on her cigarette.

"So what's the news, big bro?" Joli asks as she props her feet up on the table. She looks like a mob boss thanks to the way she's sitting. "We've got some stupid shit to share with you two, too."

"So first, saying 'two' and 'too' like that is just weird. It sounds funky." Dallas' joking comment makes Joli playfully roll her eyes.

"Page." Kimberly gently scolds while giving her husband a smile. "Get to the point, babe."

"One day I'm going to kick your bony ass for giving Kim this attitude, Jolene." Dally tells Joli in a comically serious manner.

"It might be bony, but it gets the job done." Jolene playfully blows her smoke at Dallas. He oversells it, acting as though straight poison has been pumped into his lungs.

"Okay, okay," Kev chimes in, "What's that big news you're supposed to be telling us about?"

"Oh! Yeah. That." Dallas smacks his own head. "So," He begins, "the word on the street is that once our deal with Turner is up, that's it. We're done-zo."

"Is it because of that little prick Bischoff wanting to buy the company?" Joli asks seriously. She's not the least bit joking about any of this.

"Eric wants to buy the company?!" Dallas is obviously shocked. "Shit. I mean, that makes sense, but..." He trails off before shaking his head and returning to the topic at hand. "No, what we're talking about is the programming getting canned. It doesn't seem like Turner wants to renew our contract. You know it ends in the spring, don't you?"

"Jesus fuck..." Joli sounds pitiful as she slides down into her seat. She grips tightly onto her cigarette as she asks, "This couldn't get anymore fucked up, could it?"

"If Eric buys the company, I doubt he'll be able to strike another deal with Turner." Kim frowns. "I think they're just done fighting with the WWF."

"Wrestling isn't a hot investment for them anymore." Kev scoffs. "The Monday Night War is coming to an end. We've lost. Vince won."

It's such an odd feeling to know that your job is in jeopardy like this. Actually, fuck, there's no jeopardy to it. WCW is fucked. The ship is almost completely underwater, and come spring, it'll be there completely. I don't think that Eric buying us out will change anything.

"Okay, but listen, what the fuck are we going to do if this shit ends in the spring, Dally?" Joli asks her brother. I could hear the unease in her voice a mile away. "These two," She points to me and Kev, "will be able to sit at home and rake in the cash no matter what happens, thanks to their contracts. Meanwhile," She then points to Kim and Madusa, "they're basically done with all of this, anyway. We don't have those luxuries."

"If there's no company," Dallas awkwardly rubs the back of his neck, "I guess there's nothing we can do. If we get bought out, I guess we'll just end up in whoever the fuck it is' hands."

Joli goes quiet for a moment, and the pain and panic on her face breaks my heart. Kev lovingly rubs her knee as she digs out another cigarette and lights it up. I cast my gaze back to Madusa as she places a hand atop one of mine, and I can't tell if it's because she's trying to comfort me or if it's because she's jealous.

"He could have complete control of my fate, couldn't he?" Joli's voice is soft. "Goddammit. Isn't this something?" She then abruptly stands up, shoving one hand into the pocket of her shorts. "I need to think. I'll be back."

The thought of Eric having that kind of power over her has crushed Joli's spirit, but there's nothing I can say to change her mind. She darts off before anyone has a chance to say anything else, and I'm sure it's because she doesn't want anyone to see her like this.

"Sis!" Dally calls out. "Fuck!" He hisses under his breath.

"Joli!" Kim's already running after her. "Wait up!"

"Goddammit." Kev sighs as he stares in the direction that Joli fled. "What do I even say to her about this? 'Sorry, babe! Sucks that you're going to be stuck working for the one person that you hate as much - if not more than your abusive ex-husband!'" He then looks at me, Dally, and Madusa with an exasperated expression. "Really, what do I say to her?"

"I don't know if there's really much that you can say." I frown. "She's going to be hurt any way that this goes."

"Someone is going to buy WCW out, the biggest question is just who." Madusa says as she rubs the back of my hand. "It seems like Eric is the main issue here."

Really though, when isn't he?

"WCW going down is getting to her, too." Kev says as he shakes his head. "This shit-show of a company means a lot to her."

"It's been Joli's home since her first day in the business." Dallas adds. "She doesn't want to see it go."

It's sad. Joli knows better than just about anyone how bad off WCW is - and has been - and yet she still loves it with all of her heart.

It's the company that her big brother and her little sister brought her into. It's where she met her best friends. It's where she met her husband. Fuck, it's where she found herself.

"I'm going to go check on my girl." Kev finally says as he stands up.

"I'll go with you." Dallas stands, too. "That way I can remind her that she'll at least have my sorry ass to keep her company."

"Are we trying to comfort her or make her feel worse?" Kev jokes as they go to leave. "We'll catch up with you two later!" He tells me and Madusa.

"See you, guys!" Madusa waves them off. As soon as they're on their way, she turns my face towards her and places the biggest fuckin' kiss on my lips.

I return the gesture, and I deepen the kiss as I place a hand on the back of her neck. My other hand rubs her closest thigh, which is conveniently out due to her short shorts.

"You know," Madusa smiles at me as we part lips, "I'm going to miss seeing you all the time once all of this is over."

"Ah, something like that doesn't mean that we can't see each other anymore." I playfully bump her upper arm with my elbow before leaning back into my seat. "We can still meet up every now and then and help each other get off."

I give Madusa a grin, but she doesn't return it. Instead, there's a look of sadness that comes to her pretty face. "I, uh..." Madusa trails off before saying, "I wasn't really thinking of it like that, Scott. I'm going to miss more than just that nice cock of yours."

Fuck. There it is.

I've known for a while that Madusa was getting attached to me, but to be quite honest I was hoping that I had been misinterpreting her. The last thing that I have ever wanted was to hurt Madusa, yet here I fucking am. She's too great a gal to have to deal with my shit.

I don't want a relationship.

"Madusa, you're a fuckin' amazing woman, but-"

"You're still not over Jolene, are you?" Madusa cuts me off. Her words cut my heart like a goddamn knife. I'd expect her to look mad as she talks, but if anything, she's just hurt. "You're still completely in love with her."

"Madusa, it's not that." How do I make this right? "Joli doesn't have anything to do with this. I'm just..." I shake my head, because I really just don't know what to say right now. "I really fuckin' like you. You're hot, you're funny, you're a damn joy to be around, it's just-"

"Stop." She interrupts me off again, this time with a small, sad smile on her lips. "You don't have to say anything else. I get it, I get it. This is just a little fling, right?" Madusa then bumps my chest with her fist. "Just sex?"

That's all that it can be, baby. "Just sex." I repeat. "Two good friends that fuck each other and like to hang out. That's what we are."

"Right. Right." Madusa nods. Even though she's trying not to sell it, I can tell that the poor girl is embarrassed. I hate that I made her feel this way, but I guess it's better that I break her heart now as opposed to later. "We can still keep banging though, right?" She asks with a somewhat nervous laugh. "I didn't fuck that up, did I?"

"Of course you didn't!" I wrap an arm around Madusa's shoulders and pull her to my side. "We'll keep fucking as long as you want to. I'd be a fool to turn down something like that from you."

Granted, I'm an even bigger fool for turning down her heart, but it's better this way.

Shit's about to get intense around here, and I'll be damned if I drag Madusa down with me when times get rough. Whether or not she sees it now, her life will be a lot better without me permanently in it.

Chapter 93: he won

Jolene Nash's POV

- - -

It's a shame that I can't be left alone in a venue for more than ten minutes without something going wrong. I thought that I would be fine while Kev and Scott went to their meeting. I thought that I would be safe.

"Jolene. Please. Just come talk to me. We can go to my office and handle this like adults."

I was wrong.

"There's nothing 'adult' about you, Eric, aside from the size of your diapers." I roll my eyes. Why should I want to talk to this piece of shit?

"I really think that you'd like to hear what I have to say, seeing as if involves your future." Goddammit. "It's actually important."

As much as I hate to entertain the thought of talking business with this asshole, with as crazy as shit has been around here lately, he's got me intrigued. Has the verdict finally come on the company? Is he buying it?

Fuck.

"You know," Eric adds, "I don't want to talk to you anymore than you want to talk to me. If we both had our way, we'd never have to see each other again."

"Although that would be perfect, that doesn't change the shitty situation we're in." An Eric-less world would be beautiful, wouldn't it? I'd smile, but I don't want him to think that I'm smiling at him. "Can't we talk about it here? There's no one around."

"There's that laziness again." Again?! Bitch...

"I'm not lazy, asswipe, I just don't trust being alone in your office with your sexist ass." I laugh mockingly. "It really doesn't matter to me where we have this dumb conversation; I just don't want to be put in an unsavory situation."

I can see the veins pulse on Eric's head as I talk. He has no reason to be mad at me because of my statement, not when those fears are reasonable.

"I'll leave the door open, if that is what you'd like." Eric finally concedes defeat; it's a small victory, but it's a win nonetheless. "Come on. Let's go get this over with."

Eric starts turning to head to his office, and with a heavy, begrudging sigh, I follow after him. I keep my hands in the pockets of my jacket as we walk, making sure that I keep one hand on my lighter. If I have to, I'll burn this bitch.

You don't get in trouble for that sort of thing if it's self-defense, right?

Once we reach the office, Eric scurries in first and takes a seat as his desk. He's got a big ol' fluffy office chair, and I'm sure it makes him feel really good about himself. I half close the door behind me before standing in front of his desk.

I look down at Eric as I ask, "So what the fuck is it that you want to talk about?"

The moment that the words come from my lips, I can see a flip switch in Eric's mind. He was just coming off like a regular dumbass before - now, he's embracing his true, dickish personality that I'm accustomed to.

I wish I could say that I'm surprised.

"Well Jolene, firstly, I'm going to pretend that you didn't ask that in the most rude way possible." Suck a cock. "But, I thought that you might like to know that the company has sold."

My heart just dropped to the goddamn floor.

"Who bought it?" I ask, trying my best to not sell the fear that's washing over me. "Was it you?"

A little smirk comes to Eric's face and it makes me want to hurl. "No, unfortunately, it wasn't me." He then then leans back in his chair as he tells me, "World Championship Wrestling was bought by one Vincent Kennedy McMahon."

Vince. Fucking Vince. He was the most obvious choice, because his old ass has been wanting us to go down for years. We were the catalyst that the WWF needed to become a global phenomenon, and now that we've withered out, Vince can just buy us out and do whatever the fuck he wants with us.

"So you're shipping me off to New York, huh?" I have to scoff, even though it sounds more like a pathetic laugh. "I'm fucked. I'm fucking fucked."

I throw my hands up, making sure that I leave my lighter in my pocket. This conversation is going to Hell from here, isn't it?

"At least you won't be alone, Jolene." I want to knock that despicable smirk off of his lips. "Even though Kimberly probably won't stay in the business, at least you'll have Diamond Dallas with you. I know that you prefer the company of men, anyway." Eric winks at me and I can feel the vomit rising in my throat. "Without Kimberly and Kevin there, who knows? Maybe you two can finally hook up?"

"Fuck you, you little shit." My fist tightens up as I glare at Eric. "Do you get off on telling me to fuck my brother?"

"Hmm," Eric hums, "that's funny. Kevin considers Scott to be his brother, right? So it's okay for you to fuck your husband's brother, but not your own?" He chuckles. "You really don't make much sense, Jolene."

My blood is boiling. This motherfucker has some nerve, talking to me like this.

"You've got the nerve to disrespect me like this after telling me that everything I've known for nine years is about to be flipped upside down?!" I grit my teeth. "All you can think of is to take low-blows at my sex life?"

"I don't imagine that it's been much of a sex life, since you and Kevin became an item." Eric shrugs. "I wasn't sure that one dick alone could satisfy you."

"This isn't even about my love life!" I slam my foot on the ground. This prick has me all riled up. "You fucking ruined this company, and now there are a shit ton of us that are going to be tossed to someone new like we're bags of goddamn garbage!"

"It's just WCW. I don't see why you're so upset about all of this." Eric says calmly as he leans back in his chair. "If anything, I have more of a reason to be pissed off than you. I missed out on a huge purchase!"

"You really have no regards for the people you fuck over on your way to the top, do you?" This selfish son-of-a-bitch. "This is like a game to you. It's okay if other people's lives are ruined, as long as it doesn't inconvenience you."

"It's so easy to piss you off, isn't it?" I'm going to scream. "You really shouldn't be so tense all of the time. No one will want to work with you, when you've got that attitude."

"What's it matter?" I tell him bitterly. "I don't know where my career is going from here. The WWF won't have the nWo, so what the hell am I going to do there?"

That's a question that I'm asking myself more than Eric, because I genuinely don't know where I'm going to go from here. The uncertainty is frightening. The women in the WWF have to do even more stupid shit than those of us in WCW, and that says something.

"Can I talk to you truthfully for a moment here, Jolene?" Eric's polite tone doesn't fool me. I watch as the motherfucker stands up from his chair and walks to where he's standing in front of me, but he props his soggy ass against the desk. "Businessman to businesswoman."

I don't give him a verbal reply - I only glare at him.

"The only reason that you've been in WCW as long as you have, dear Jolene," Kill me, "is because of that sexy little body of yours." Eric tries to place a hand on my cheek, but I smack it away.

"Lay a fucking hand on me and see what happens." I will break that damn hand of his if I have to.

"You do know that there were never any plans to keep you back in the day, right?" Eric smiles. "Once your run as a Diamond Doll was done, you were supposed to be sent on your merry way." He taps a thumb on his lip before asking, "You do know that I'm the reason you became an announcer in the first place, don't you?"

No one ever officially told me that bullshit, but sadly, I fucking believe him. Eric was one of our lead announcers when my first contract expired.

"So really," Eric tells me with a smirk, "This 'WCW career' that you care oh-so-much about wouldn't even exist if it weren't for me. I kept you because you're attractive, Jolene, and it's as simple as that. You should be as grateful to me as you are to your 'big brother.'"

"Grateful? To you?!" I laugh. "After all of the goddamned shit that you've put me through over the years?!"

He's lost his mind if he thinks I'll ever be grateful for anything that he's ever done for me.

"Okay, okay," Eric dramatically sighs, "If you're going to thank anyone, you should probably thank your husband and your fuck buddy. If you can't be grateful that I helped you become an announcer, at least appreciate the fact that you wouldn't have ever had a main-event career without them."

"See here's the thing about that." I'm trying my best not to keep yelling at him. The last thing I need is for someone to hear us and come in here. "Both Kevin and Scott have never been anything but great to me, and I'm actually quite proud of everything the three of us have accomplished together. The only downside is that we've been saddled with your ugly mug."

The look that comes to Eric's face unsettles me. What the fuck is he-

"Scott Hall has never been anything but good to you, huh?" Eric's mocking me. "That Hall/Milford angle that we did a few years ago bothered you, didn't it? I'm sure that first national kiss hasn't slipped your aging mind."

Now that's a cheap shot, you motherfucker.

"Scott wasn't in a good place at that point and you know that!" Okay, fuck it. Time to yell.

"Oh, I'm well aware of how horrible Scott's mental health has been." Eric steps closer to me, to where we're standing only a few inches apart. "Who do you think it was that convinced him to give you that kiss in the first place?"

"That was your fucking fault?" It's probably not good for my nails to be pressing in as tightly into my palm as they are. "You asshole! Who the fuck do you think you are, to meddle in people's lives like this?!"

"The best type of scripted television is the kind that blurs the line between fiction and reality. There's no one that does that better than Scott Hall." Eric's eyes narrow like the snake that he is. "He's such a train wreck! Have you ever seen anyone as unstable as him?!" He has the nerve to burst into laughter. "It's hilarious!"

That's it. That's the last fucking straw.

I shove Eric as hard as I can, and as his knees connect with his desk, I smirk. The look of sadistic anger that comes to his face terrifies me, and when he swings a hand at me, I barely grab his wrist before his palm can fly across my face.

I guess I've learned something in my time in this business.

For a moment, Eric and I just stare at each other. My body begins to tremble and I can't tell if it's out of shock, anger, fear, or some combination of the three. He wants to try and hit me, huh?

Although I despise Thomas and everything that he put me through, I think that I genuinely loathe Eric more. Bischoff has put everyone that I love through hell just because he could.

Man, I can't handle this shit anymore.

I inhale a sharp breath before once more shoving Eric at his desk. Before he can have a chance to respond, I tightly grab the collar of his shirt and lean in close to him.

"All right motherfucker, I need you to listen to me for once in your life. If you ever try this shit again, it'll be the last thing you ever do." Venom drips from my words. "Go ahead, suspend me again! Fire me! Send me to the goddamn World Wrestling Federation! WCW's blood is on your hands. As long as I don't have to work for you anymore, I don't care where I go."

Instead of giving me a verbal reply, Eric snakes one of his arms behind me and presses my head closer to his. Eric forces a kiss onto my lips, but when I knee him in the groin, he lets me go.

"You piece of shit!" I scream as I lay the most satisfying slap across his face. "Fuck you, Eric Bischoff! Fuckin' fuck you and everything you've done to fuck people over!" I step back, just so that I can put some distance between me and Eric.

"You know you're going to miss me, Jolene." Eric seductively runs his tongue over his lips as he stares me down. His right cheek is bright red from where I smacked the shit out of him. "I'd say that it's been fun, but it hasn't. You've been a real pain in my ass."

"The feeling is mutual." I need to sanitize my lips, holy fuck. I've never washed my mouth out with soap before, but I guess there's a first time for everything.

Will Kev ever want to kiss me again? I wouldn't blame him if he didn't. I wouldn't want to kiss someone who has had Eric's crusty lips against theirs.

Oh goddammit, I've kissed that asshole!

"By the way, Jolene," Eric strikes one of his 'iconic' poses, where he gives that little smile and points to his dimples, "I hope you enjoy your suspension. I'll let Kevin know when - or if you can return. It'll give you two some time to adjust to being apart."

There's nothing else that I can think of to say at this point. I feel like my mind is fried thanks to all of this stupidity. Before I leave Eric's office, I flip him off.

That feels like the right way to end this conversation.

I walk down the hallway with my eyes wide and glued to the floor. All of that really just happened, didn't it? I feel sick to my stomach. Where the fuck do I go from here?

As I walk, I think I hear someone calling my name. It's not until Madusa grabs my shoulder from behind me that I realize someone is actually there.

Of course, I nearly deck her. I don't mean to, but that's the way my body reacts.

"Jolene! What the fuck?!" Madusa looks me over. She could tell from the get-go that I'm fucked up. I guess this means that we're really getting close, huh? "What's wrong?"

"He won, Madusa." My voice is cracking. Great. "He fuckin' won and there wasn't a thing I could do about it."

"What?" Madusa takes a moment to piece everything together. "Bischoff?"

"Bischoff." I nod. I'm trying to replay what just happened, but just seeing the images back in my mind makes my heart ache.

"Joli, what happened?" Madusa wraps an arm around my shoulder, and although I initially flinch at her touch, I soon lean against her. "I can't help you if I don't know why I need to kick his ass."

"The company's sold, in the Spring, I'm going to Vince McMahon, and until further notice, my ass is suspended again." I shrug sadly. "He won. He took me to his office to 'talk' because he wanted to piss me off, and like a fool I played right into his trap."

"Joli..." Madusa brings me in for a hug, and before I know it, I'm sobbing on her shoulder. Like the great gal she is, Madusa rubs my back and comforts me until I finally get my shit together. "Let's go find Kevin, okay?"

"Fuck, he's probably still in his meeting." I wipe my eyes as I pull back from the hug. "Goddammit. I'm sorry, Madusa."

"Don't apologize." Madusa gives me a soft smile. "I just, uh... I hate seeing you like this." She admits as she starts to lead me down the hallway. "Let's go see if we can find Dallas or Kimberly."

As we look for Dally and Kim, Madusa keeps talking to me, but in all honesty I barely hear her. I'm too busy thinking about the shit that just happened. I can't tell if I want to cry more or actually throw up. Both are valid options.

I played right into Eric's plans and I did exactly what he wanted me to do. Guess I really fucked this up, didn't I?

Chapter 94: this shitty day

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

"Are you sure you even want to watch this shit?" I ask as Joli and I settle down on the couch. The final episode of WCW television is about to air; an episode of Nitro that's about to go live from Panama City Beach.

I could have been there if I wanted to be, but why would I waste my time? Panama City isn't too far away from here; hell, it'd probably take me an hour at most to get there. But, I would have been there pretty much by myself.

See, once the deal finalized, I was off the hook. I don't have to do shit until my WCW contract expires next year, and for that matter, neither do Scott or Terry. The OG nWo can sit on their asses for nearly 12 months, and while that's great, I worry about my wife.

Joli's suspension could have been lifted, had it been Vince's wish - his company, his choice. Long story short, creative didn't have anything for her, so Joli didn't get to go back.

The time alone has had its ups and downs. Joli's been so damn stressed over work that's she's not been in the best mood lately. I don't blame her, but her attitude has been damn hard to deal with.

"Yeah, I'm sure." You don't sound sure, babe. "Let's see how shitty the last episode is."

Oh, I'm sure this is going to be absolutely horrendous. Vince is going to do whatever it takes to feed his ego, and what better way to do that than by completely burying his competition? He won. It's in Vince's nature to just fuckin' gloat.

Joli lights up a cigarette right before the commercial break on the television ends and it cuts to the opening of Nitro. I've got to say, knowing that this is the last time that this shit will ever air live is bittersweet. I've completely accepted the end of WCW, but a chapter in my life is coming to a close.

Right off the bat, the show cuts to good ol' Vinny Mac talking about how he's bought out WCW. He isn't gloating too much right now, which just means that he's saving all of his big insults for later in the show. Of course, he's still making it known that the WWF kicked our fucking asses, like it's something that wasn't well-known already.

I mean, when Vince says that he holds WCW in the palm of his hands, he's right. He owns our asses.

As Vince talks, I can see Joli angrily puffing on her cigarette. She and Vince haven't met in person yet, and I know when it finally happens, it's going to be a shit-show. They'll probably tear each other apart with their fuckin' shit talk.

"Smug ass bitch," Jolene mumbles under her breath, "acting like a goddamn fuckin'... God. Suck my ass, McMahon."

Joli's got her eyes glued to the TV, and I know that she's not going to be interested in anything else for a while. We've got to see this entire train wreck from beginning to close.

Once Vince finishes his rant, we learn that all of the titles are going to be on the line on this final episode of Nitro. Joli puts her cigarette out right as everyone's favorite Nature Boy comes onto the screen.

As he walks to the ring, you can tell that even Naitch has gotten to be a little bit emotional over our company's demise - and fuck, maybe he's a little drunk, too. Joli leans forward in her seat, watching the screen intently.

After working the crowd a little bit, Ric goes straight into a speech. He starts talking about how Vince doesn't completely own any of the wrestlers in WCW, because we're our own people. Ric puts WCW over more than anyone else ever could, praising all of the work that we did in the Monday Night Wars. It tugs at my heart just a bit, I have to say.

WCW really did some cool shit, didn't it? I mean, we had a lot of faults, but what we all did was special. Sometimes I guess it just takes Ric fuckin' Flair to make you realize the gravity of a situation.

"You can't control us or our future!" Ric says defiantly, speaking to Vince.  "And in closing, let me say this; in all my years in this business, my greatest opponent in this company has been Sting. So, before we go out, the Nature Boy wants you right here tonight!" Ric screams as the fans cheer. "Sting, my greatest opponent, tonight is your last chance to be..."

Ric trails off before beginning a chant that the crowd follows along with. "Sting! Sting! Sting! Sting! Sting!" He lets out a loud 'Woo!' before finishing, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man! And Sting, I'm the man!"

"Damn," I mutter as I turn to look down at Joli, "that was-"

"Fucking beautiful," Tears are swelling up in my girl's eyes, but she doesn't seem like she even notices them, "It was fucking beautiful. Ric Flair vs Sting, what a way to go out."

"It's fitting, that's for damn sure." The only two guys that deserve to compete in WCW's final match are Sting and Ric. At least we get to have one good final booking decision before we lay WCW to rest once and for all.

For the most part, as the show progresses, Joli handles it really well. She curses a lot and chain smokes in the crazy way that she only does when she's this upset, but it isn't until right before the main event segment that Joli really loses her shit.

Of course, who else could make my wife start bawling like a baby aside from her big brother?

The tears don't begin to fall as soon as he pops up on the screen, because she's not a psychopath. No, Joli doesn't start crying until Dallas opens that big mouth of his in a pre-shot promo from earlier in the day.

From our conversation with Dally this morning, I know that he's hurt by the closing of our company. WCW gave him everything in his career, just like Joli. It's what brought them together in the first place. I know that Dallas is hopeful for his future, but as a 45 year old man (even though he's in much better shape than I am), he knows that his wrestling career will probably end in the next few years.

"I just want to thank all of the wrestling fans around the world for lettin' a kid from the Jersey Shore, Page Joseph Falkinburg, become Diamond Dallas Page." That goofy smile on Dally's face makes me smile, too. I'm so proud of this fucker. "The guy they said could never make it but did. And that only proves one thing; that if you want it bad enough. and you're willing to work for it, anything is possible."

"Dallas, you little-" Joli's wearing a weak grin as she cries, trying her best to keep up her 'I'm a pissed off badass' persona. I don't have the heart to tell her it's not working. "You little shit. You did it."

Even though I've been sliding down on the couch, I sit up and wrap an arm around Joli's shoulders. She scoots closer to me and leans against my side while still watching her brother.

"... And I want to thank the WCW fans especially, and my wife, Kimberly, for always believing in me." Dallas chuckles as I feel Joli begin to shake even more against me. I guess between Vince and Ric and Dallas and all of this shit, it's really hitting Joli that it's over.

I'm honestly a little surprised when, as soon as the commercial break hits, Joli slams her face into my side. I guess that hard-ass attitude has gone away for the moment.

For a while, Joli just cries on me. All of the hell she's given me over the past few days goes to the back of my mind as I hold her close and rub her back, helping her settle it down. There's a lot going on in my babe's mind and heart right now, and I know that she's not been completely able to stop herself from being a bitch.

"Hey, hey, you don't want to miss the main event, do you?" I don't think that she even noticed that we'd returned from commercial. Ric's almost to the ring by the time I get Joli to look up.

"Fuck!" Joli hisses as she leans back and wipes her eyes. Her voice is still scratchy and weak, and her cute little cheeks are flushed. Fuck WCW for breaking my girl's heart. "No, I can't miss this. I wouldn't dream of it."

The match being Sting and Ric doesn't last long, but it's full of all of the action and character work that you would expect from two of the greatest performers in the history of professional wrestling. Sting pics up the 'w' at the end with the Scorpion DeathLock, making Ric tap in the middle of the ring.

The two of them hug it out afterwards, celebrating the end of WCW in the best possible way. It's damn poetic.

"That's perfect." The match mellowed my wife out quite a damn bit. Thanks, guys. "That's the best possible way we could've gone out. Everything after this is pointless."

From the way she speaks, it sounds like Sting and Ric helped give her a little bit of closure on the whole matter. I know that Joli's not completely over it, and part of me wonders if she ever will be, but fuck, it seems like she's somewhat content with it all now.

Of course, Joli's serene expression turns to one of disgust as soon as Nitro cuts to a simulcast with Monday Night RAW. Vince is announced as the 'Winner of the Monday Night War,' and Joli scoffs. I knew that the sass would return. It always does.

Vince begins his true WCW eulogy, burying our former company in every way that he possibly could. Just as I'd expected, Vince was saving all of his best insults for this last segment of the show. He runs down the management at WCW, talking about how no one knew what to do with it.

"No one knew what to do with it because we've had dick-holes like Bischoff and Russo in control for the past two and a half years!" Joli scowls at Vince, her pretty green eyes narrowed in frustration. I'd remind her that he can't hear her, but keeping my nuts seems like a better idea.

"At WrestleMania, Ted Turner himself will sign the contract and transfer WCW over to me." Vince declares proudly. "Hell, I'll put Ted in my corner, so that he can watch my child abuse first-hand!"

Vince's daughter Steph comes out, and then, oh what the fuck, Trish Stratus comes out pushing Linda McMahon in a wheelchair. Linda looks dazed and confused, which is honestly how I feel at this exact moment.

"What the fu-" Joli echoes my thoughts, stopping whenever Vince barks, "Just park Linda over here!"

Both Joli and I stare at the television with dumbfounded expressions. Paul had told us that the shit between the McMahon's had gotten really fuckin' weird, but I think this has reached a new level.

"I don't know." I tell Joli honestly. "I really don't."

"Is that... Is that fucking Linda McMahon?" Joli asks, dumbfounded. "Why is she-"

"You know, I could just put WCW on a shelf!" Vince exclaims with one of his maniacal laughs. "I could do whatever I want with it. You guys like Hulk Hogan?!" Most of the crowd cheers for Terry, as you'd expect. "Lex Luger?!" Damn, he gets a much bigger pop than I would've thought. "BOOKER T?!" Good to see Book getting the pop he deserves.

Vince goes on rambling off random ass names of workers in WCW before eventually swerving the crowd by saying, "WCW is actually going up on a shelf! It's going nowhere! It's buried!" That laugh of Vince's is going to haunt me in my fuckin' nightmares tonight.

Joli, on the other hand, just bitterly flips the screen off. Yep, I'm sure her first encounter with Vince is going to go great.

Theme music hits and interrupts Vince's celebration. The older McMahon kid, Shane-O, has shown up in Panama City, right in the middle of Nitro's ring.

"What's up, Vince?" Shane greets his father. I glance down at Joli, and I can tell that she's totally over this father-son angle that Shane and Vince are trying to sell to her. There's a lot that I don't quite get either, but Joli's looking at things a lot more critically than I am.

After all, she's the one that's going to be working for Vince in a few weeks.

Shane explains that he's gone behind Vince's back and finalized the deal with Ted himself, making him the owner of WCW instead. Vince is pissed and Joli's just fuckin' confused. Me? I'm rolling with it.

The face Vince makes is what makes all of the convoluted bullshit worth it. Goddamn, that man's facial reactions crack me up.

As the broadcast comes an end, the last things we see are Vince and Shane. The last episode of WCW programming doesn't even end on the face of one of WCW's stars. Not to sound bitter like Joli, but that ending leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

For a solid thirty seconds, Joli and I sit in silence, with me looking down at her and her staring at the television. The programming on the network has gone on to its next crappy show, continuing on as always.

It's like WCW never existed.

"That was really it, huh?" Joli finally speaks up. She sounds the most mature that I've ever heard her on this subject.

"Yeah. It's over, baby. WCW is gone." I pick Joli up and sit her in my lap, with her legs hanging to the side. My knees have begun to ache from sitting on the couch in the same position for so long, but I've got take care of this beautiful lady before I help myself.

"Where do I go from here?" Joli asks as she lays her head against my chest. I wrap my arms around her while hers just rest in her lap. "Am I really going to work for a quack like Vince McMahon?"

"He might seem like a total dumbass on television, but I promise that he's not as bad in person." I try to assure Joli as I slowly stroke her hair. It's grown out so much over the past few years.

I guess my hair changed a lot, too. Not length wise, but I've changed hair colors enough for the two of us. I'm glad Joli's never changed her dark hair, though.

"He might not be a dumbass, but he's definitely a big prick, right?" Joli huffs. "You heard the way he gloated about taking us out. Little asshole got way too much enjoyment out of that."

"Wouldn't you be acting the same way if we'd knocked him out of business?" My question comes out sassy and I expect Joli to smack me for it. But she doesn't.

"But we didn't win. We lost. We lost to a deranged old man who gets his rocks off by bangin' a hot chick in front of his apparently crippled wife. What the actual fuck is up with this bitch?!" Joli leans back to look at me, and I can't completely read how she's feeling. Pissed? Confused? Sad? Hungry? I don't know. "With that old fuck, I can't tell how much of that is kayfabe and how much isn't."

"I mean, if there's anyone who can keep kayfabe alive in 2001, it's Vince." I laugh but Joli doesn't. "I know you're worried, babe, but everything will be okay. Vince isn't the big dick that you expect him to be."

"So he's a small dick." Joli chimes in before I can continue my thought. She gives me one of those hot little smirks of hers and I laugh again.

"I mean, he's probably got one, but that's not the point of what I'm saying." Joli and I grin at each other for a moment before I continue. "You'll have Dallas on the road with you, wherever you go. Whatever bullshit you get stuck with, he'll be there to keep you cool."

"Yeah, but I wish you would be there." Joli mutters sadly. She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face in my hair. "Asshole. Must be nice, getting to stay home for a fuckin' year."

She's trying to sound mad, but her voice just sounds more adorably grumpy than anything. I know that my little firecracker isn't mad at me - she just doesn't like the shitty situation that she's in.

"You won't be on the road full time, baby. We'll still get to spend plenty of time together, even if I'm here and you're there. The next year will fly by, once it starts." I kiss her shoulder as I move my hands down to her lower back and hips. I just want to put her mind at ease. "Besides, it'll give you and Dallas some nice bonding time."

"You mean I'll have plenty of opportunities to hi-jack phone calls with Kim." The cute tone in Joli's voice brings a small smile to my face.

She says she's going to miss me, but fuck, she doesn't realize how much I'm going to miss her. She'll have Dallas to keep her company, but who will I have? My bottles of wine and my backlog of shitty, low-budget horror films?

"Fuck Eric Bischoff for getting us in this situation. Fuck every single one of the shitty executives who let him do whatever he wanted and helped him run us into the ground. Fuck all of it." Joli mumbles. "Fuck it."

"I know this shit seems unbearable, but we always find a way to get through it, don't we?" As much as it's going to suck, it's not the worst thing we've been through. "If we can handle me being with Vince for a few years, we can get through you being there for one."

Joli sits back up and frowns at me. "We weren't married then, for one." We still loved each other then though, even if we were too fuckin' dumb to realize it. "I guess if I can break into the business with Dally, I can get through Vince's shit with him."

"I don't think it'll be that bad, babe. Like I said, Vince isn't as bad as you expect him to be." I move Joli's hair away from her face and give her a quick kiss. "Besides, you've married into the Kliq. That counts for something." I grin.

"He's also probably still pissed at you for leaving in the first place." Joli playfully punches my chest.

At first, Vince was definitely mad. I mean, he fuckin' took me and Scott to court over the Razor and Diesel characters. Considering how things have turned out though, I don't think he is too pissed at me anymore.

"Considering you're the crazy bitch that decked Eric Bischoff, I don't think that you have anything to worry about girly." Joli smiles proudly. "I wouldn't recommend trying to knock Vince on his ass, though. You'd be in a little bit more legal trouble than just getting suspended from work."

"I guess we'll just have to see how things go then, huh?" My wife looks at me with this mischievous little gleam in her eyes, and I've got to wonder how serious she is about that. I don't think that Joli would be dumb enough to attack someone like Vince McMahon, but you never really know until the time comes, do you?

"If your sexy little ass gets thrown in jail, don't expect me to hop on a plane and come bail you out." I tell her as I pick her up in my arms and stand up. Goddamn, my legs are mad at me for sitting still for so long. I drape Joli over my shoulder before grabbing her cigarettes and ashtray off the table.

"You okay?" Joli asks as I walk us into the bedroom. I guess she can tell that I fuckin' hurt.

"I'll be all right, my knees are just doing their bullshit." I'll be fine once I'm able to stretch out. This body of mine just isn't what it once was.

"I'm sorry, babe." Joli rubs my back from her potato sack position. "Let's just go lay down and put this shitty day behind us."

"Fine by me." I reply as we enter the bedroom. I sit Joli's smokes and ashtray on her nightstand before flipping her over my shoulder and gently slamming her on the bed. She giggles as he back hits the mattress.

"I'm sorry I've been such a bitch lately." Joli tells me sincerely as soon as she's gotten all of her giggles out. She rolls on her side to face me, once I sit down on my side of the bed. "With all of the shit with the company, and-"

"It's okay," I shush her up with a quick kiss. "I promise."

"I don't know, I've been pretty bad." Joli mutters as she gets her another smoke.

"Oh, you have. I never said you hadn't." Cue the glare. "But if I can put up with Shawn Michaels in 1995, I can put up with your constantly moody ass."

And there's another smack on my arm and a glare that borderline deadly. I know she's not happy about being compared to Shawn - the two of them are some of the biggest frenemies in the business.

Or at least, they would be, if Shawn knew how to return a phone call. I miss that bitch.

"I'm not as bad as Shawn," Joli insists adamantly, "I could never be as bad as him."

"You could sure as hell give him a run for his money, though." I give Joli a little grin, and before I know it she's put her cigarette out so that she can jump on me and attack. One of my knees locks up as I grab her arms, but I'm okay.

"You're such an asshole!" Joli squeals as she tries to free her arms.

"Nope." I say simply as I smile up at my wife. She's mad, but I'm one of her comical, over-dramatic ways. I've missed this side of her, weird as it is to say.

Even though WCW is done and gone, I've still got the woman that stole my heart in that shitty company. These next few months are gonna suck, but before long, we'll be back out on the road again together.

Chapter 95: damn lonely

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

It's been two weeks since that final episode of Nitro aired, and in the time since then, I feel like I've just been fuckin' lost. My second run in WCW might have been horrible for my mental health, but I'm pretty sure that not having anything to do is just going to make it worse.

Cody is here with me at the house, and he's going to be here for the rest of the weekend. Once Summer comes, he's going to be able to spend a lot more time with me. The only thing is, I feel so bad being around him lately. I've been such a shitty father and I don't know where to start when it comes to fixing things with him.

What do you say to your son, who has barely seen you in his nearly ten years of life? The son who has mainly seen you on the screen of a television? The son who has watched you make a fucking fool of yourself by passing out in a pile of your own vomit on that same television?

"Hey, Codster," I greet as I walk into the living room. It's somewhere around ten in the morning, and he's already glued to the TV. He's playing on some video game gimmick that he had me buy for him a couple of years ago; I think that little red fatass on the screen is Mar... Mario? Mahrio? Something like that.

"Hey." Cody doesn't even look at me as he talks. I can't tell if it's because he's too focused on his game, or if it's because he just really doesn't want to see me.

"You want some breakfast, kiddo? You know your old man can make some damn fine pancakes." I'm trying my best to hype him up, but I don't think he'd even give me the time of day right now.

"Pancakes are good." Cody has hunched over more in front of the TV, and whatever the fuck it is that he's having that red guy do, it seems like it's important to him. More important than some dead-beat dad that's trying to talk about breakfast.

"Pancakes it is!" God, even I can tell the enthusiasm in my voice sounds fake. "Don't sit so close to the TV, bud. That's not good for your eyes."

"'Kay." Cody scoots back maybe half an inch, his eyes never moving.

All right, cool. I'll go make us some grub, and you can kick the ass of whatever it is you're playing.

I head into the kitchen, and I've no more than grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet when the phone rings. I pick the cordless up out of the living room and pass a glance at Cody before checking the number on the phone.

Kev and Joli, cool.

Part of me had hoped that it had been Madusa that was calling. I've tried to reach her since WCW closed, but from the silent treatment I've received, I think she's just about done with me. I miss being able to talk to her, but I understand why she's giving me the cold shoulder. I can't give her what she deserves - a real relationship.

"Hey yo, what's up, guys?" I ask as I answer the phone and slide it between my shoulder and my ear.

"You're actually up." Don't sound so shocked, Kev. "Damn. I guess I lost that bet." I can hear Joli snicker in the background.

"I've got Cody this weekend," I tell him as I start gathering my flour and milk and shit for my flapjacks. "I'm trying to fry up some pancakes."

"Shit, we should be over there at your house then!" Kev laughs. I do kind of wish that they were here, just not now when I've got Cody. I miss my fuckin' friends.

"You two are welcome here anytime, you know that." I tell him with a small laugh of my own. It feels like it's been so long since I've seen them, even though it hasn't been too awfully long. I guess I just really am damn lonely.

"The wife over here is actually getting ready to head out to her first meeting with Ol' Vinny Mac." Kev says, peaking my interest. Is it really already time for Joli to start working for the WWF? Goddamn, maybe time is flying by. "She's packing her shit right now, and I'm going to take her to the airport around 4. She and Dallas both have meetings with Vince tomorrow."

"Yikes." I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth. I've finished mixing up my batter, and the skillet I put on the stove looks like it's all heated up. I make sure I have my plates lined up before I drop a couple of small scoops of batter on the skillet. "I'm sure she's excited."

"It's going to fuckin' suck!" I hear Joli groan distantly. I guess Kev has me on speaker phone.

"It's not going to be that bad." When Kev speaks, it sounds like he's repeating it for the thousandth time. Honestly, he probably is. I wouldn't be surprised if Joli's been bitchin' about this since... well, since that day she got suspended.

"You're lying. I've heard all of the shit you two have said about working for Vince, and I know that Madusa hates him." I wince as Joli mentions Madusa, but I try to focus more on my pancakes than the aching in my heart. "He's going to hate me, or at the very least, he's going to try and get me to do something super fucking stupid."

"Vince is crazy, but he can make some good decisions every now and then." I try to defend him, kind of. Me and Vince have had our differences over the years, but for the most part, he was actually pretty good to me.

He never put me through the kind of shit that Bischoff did, that's for damn sure.

"Dally's lucky, you know that?" Jolene scoffs. "I bet he's not going to be stuck doing some stupid little gimmick in the WWF. I mean, I doubt he'll get a big push because I'm sure Vince doesn't appreciate him like he should, but he'll be better off than me. I'll probably be stuck in the most sexist role McMahon can think of."

I want to say that's not the case, but really, who knows? Joli could be completely right on this. Vince has never treated his female talent all that well, but over the past couple of years he's really blown it out of the water. Vince will do whatever it takes to get a sexy woman on TV so that she can strut her stuff.

"If he tries to get me to do any of that shit he's had Stratus do, though, I'm fuckin' done." Joli's really bothered by all of this, isn't she? She's probably still not over WCW shutting down, or at the very least she's still pissed about how things went down.

"If he tries to get you doing that, then I'll step in." Kev sounds disgusted at the thought. "You're fuckin' hot as hell, and everyone knows that. Trish is hot, too. No one should have to do that kind of stuff, especially not to Vince."

"The whole gimmick is that they're fuckin', right?" I can't imagine any kind of scenario where a chick as hot as Trish would ever bang a guy like Vince, no matter how loaded he might be. "A shriveled little cock like Vince's couldn't satisfy a lady like her."

"I'd rather not think about his little old man dick." Joli gags. "Goddamn, this is going to suck."

"It's just your first meeting with the guy," Kev sighs as I move the batch of pancakes to Cody's plate, "You'll be back by Monday evening."

"That is, unless Vince decides he wants to keep me in town for a little bit longer." I hear the bed squeak, and I'm guessing Joli flopped down on it. "You both suck for not having to work right now."

"This year is going to breeze by, babe." Kev's probably right.

"Doubtful." Joli mutters sadly.

I fix Cody's pancakes up with butter and syrup before placing his plate on the table. I can hear Joli and Kev bickering back and forth as I grab a fork for my boy and then pour him a cup of juice.

"Hey guys, I'm going to get off of here and have some breakfast with the boy. I'll talk to you later, okay?" I tell them as I walk back over to the stove. As Kev replies, I pour more pancakes into my skillet.

"All right, brother. I'll probably call you back tonight once Joli's gone."

"Sounds good to me, man. I'll talk to you then." We all say our goodbyes, and as soon as I click the off button, I turn to look over my shoulder. "Codster! Come eat!"

"I'll be there in a minute!" He yells back at me, sounding like he's a little pre-occupied. "I gotta beat this level!"

Or does he just want to put off seeing me as long as possible?

"Just don't take too long! 'Don't want your food to get cold."

"'Kay!"

By the time Cody comes into the kitchen, I've already finished frying my pancakes. I grab myself a glass out of the cabinet as he sits down in his chair.

"It's about time you wander in here." I tell him with a grin. He actually looks up at me, and I can see a modest little smile coming to his lips.

"I beat the fifth castle in Mario World, that's what I was doing. I've never been able to beat it before!" The more he talks, the more excited I can see him become. Just seeing the light in his eyes makes my heart feel fuller than it has in ages. "I finally did it."

"Eat up, Champ!" I laugh as I pour my milk. "That's reason to celebrate! You finally beat that damn thing."

"There are still a couple of more castles I've got to beat before I beat the whole game," Cody has a mouthful of pancakes as he speaks, "But I think I can take it."

"See, that's the kind of Hall attitude that I like to see." I tell Cody as I sit down across from him. I take a drink of my milk before adding, "Buddy, I know you can beat it."

"You think so?" My son asks with a smirk that I swear makes me feel like I'm looking in a mirror. "I don't know if I can beat Bowser at the end. He's super hard."

"I don't think that there is any character in the whole world that the Great Cody couldn't beat." I dig into my food after I speak. Man, these cakes are good, if I do say so myself.

"Here's the thing though, he's a big guy. Like, he's even bigger than Uncle Kev." I almost choke from laughter. "He won't go down easy. I saw a video game guide once, and it told me how to beat him. You see, I've just got to..."

As we eat, Cody keeps rambling on and on about his video game. I find myself hanging onto his every word, taking mental notes of all the characters and shit that he names. None of it makes a lick of sense to me, but it seems to be something that he's super passionate about.

Apparently, the little fatass Mario just wants to go around and save his bitch Princess Toadstool from the big dragon Bowser. He's even got a little lizard fucker that helps him out, named Yoshi.

"... There's also Mario's little brother, Luigi." Cody tells me as I put our empty plates in the sink. "He wears green and he's taller than Mario. He's the guy that you play as if you play the two player mode."

"Two player mode?" I echo. "That's cool." I figure that he and his little pals at school have played together many a time. It hurts my heart to realize that Cody's friends know him leaps and bounds better than I do; my knowledge of him doesn't anywhere near match theirs.

"Yeah! Each player gets their own controllers and you take turns playing whenever someone dies or beats a level. It's really fun." Cody is bouncing on his heels behind me as we walk into the living room. I hear him gasp as he runs over to the TV. "WAIT!" He exclaims, startling me.

"Huh? What's up?"

"You can be my Luigi!" Cody squawks as he rushes over to the television and digs out another one of those little controllers. He plugs it into the other side of his gaming gimmick before motioning me over. "Come on, dad! Play with me!"

"I don't know, Cod." I chuckle nervously as I take a seat in the rocking chair that's near the TV. "I can't play these things like you can."

"Oh come on! It's not that hard! Even an old guy like you can figure it out." Cody tells me eagerly as he puts the controller in my hand. "You see, you use this button to move, and this jumps, and this runs, and..."

I don't understand a word he's saying, but I could listen to him talk about it forever.

Before I know it, Cody has the game loaded up and I'm slamming buttons on the little plastic toy in my hands. Every time I move, Cody barks orders at me, but it's the cutest thing I've ever heard. He's genuinely glad that I'm playing with him, and you know what? I am, too.

I may not be the best dad in the world, but moments like this make me think that I've got to be doing at least something right.

These next few months, it's going to be about me and Cody. If I've got all this time off from wrestling, I need to spend it fixing my relationship with my pride and joy.

Chapter 96: if not for him

Jolene Nash's POV

- - -

Have you ever had a feeling of dread that just seemed to encompass your entire body, no matter how hard you tried to fight it? Like no matter how many times you tell yourself, 'Hey, bitch, settle down. Maybe this isn't going to be as bad as you think,' you're still fuckin' terrified?

That's the way that I'm feeling as my ass sits in the lobby of the hotel that Vince is having our big meetings at. The hotel is huge, and he's rented out the entire business section for the day. He's calling all of us in individually to talk about our futures and what sorts of bullshit he's got planned for us.

Part of me is surprised that he's taking the time to meet all of us like this, but at the same time, he isn't taking very long at all with each person. I guess it all balances out in the end.

Dally's back there talking to Vince right now, and he's been back there about five minutes. I absentmindedly tap my left foot on the floor as I stare at a nearby clock on the wall. At best, Dally will be back there another five minutes; at worst, another fifteen.

I wonder how it's going in there with my big brother and our new boss? Probably better than it will go for me, honestly. Goddamn, I do not want to do this.

"You alright over there, Jolene?" Booker's voice catches my attention. He's with Buff and Chavo, an odd little trio that all sit in chairs on the opposite side of where I sit. "You look sick, girly."

"I don't see how anyone could not be sick, waiting to meet Vince McMahon." My face twists into a grimace.

"It's just a quick meeting," Buff assures me with a nonchalant shrug, "I don't think it will be bad."

"We're just learning about our storylines." Chavo adds.

"I don't like it, though. This all just feels... I don't know, it just feels fuckin' wrong." I shake my head. I don't even know what I'm trying to say.

"Is it because you're not going to be in the main storyline anymore, Miss nWo?" Buff, you dumb son of a bitch, you were in the nWo, too! "Ah, shit, it's Mrs. nWo now, isn't it?"

I don't want to think that Buff's actually trying to be a dick, but I can't help the glare that I send him. He rolls his eyes at me and I flip him off.

"It's got nothing to do with that. Main event storylines don't mean shit to me; I just don't like it here." I cross my arms across my chest as I lean back on my couch.

"Even with just these meetings, I can tell it's a lot different than WCW." Book adds to my point. I've always appreciated him; he's one of the few people that really admired our company like I did. "'Can't really tell if that's a good or bad thing yet. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"From what I've heard from the boys that have already met with McMahon, it seems like we're doing some sort of 'WCW/ECW vs WWF' angle." Buff clears his throat. "'Course, I'm sure the winner of the feud is going to be obvious. No way in hell the WWF wouldn't go over."

Of course. Vince just has to stick that knife as deeply into the wound as he can. It's not bad enough that he beat (and bought) out both WCW and ECW, he's got to bury the talent on his television as well.

Classic McMahon.

"Who's he gonna put on this team, though?" Chavo asks, raising a curious brow. "All of us that he's got the contracts of, or...?"

Book starts snowballing some names, but he's quickly cut off by Dally's appearance. My big bro looks confused as hell, but before I can ask what's up, he makes my stomach flip.

"You're up next, sister." Dally forces a reassuring smile to his face as he points towards the office. "Good luck."

"Fuck. Do I have to go?" I groan as I stand up. "Is he a dick?"

"You'll just have to see for yourself." Dally pats me on the back as he lets out one of those signature laughs of his. At least that is comforting. "Don't keep him waiting!"

"I'm going, I'm going." I mumble, sending one last help me look to my brother before making my way to the meeting room.

The door is shut, obviously, when I get there, and there aren't any visible windows or anything that allow me to see inside. The only reason that I know I'm even at the right place is because there's a big 'VINCE MCMAHON' sign on the door. After I take in a deep breath, I knock on the door.

I could really go for a smoke right about now.

"Who is it?" Vince's raspy voice questions from behind the door.

"Jolene Nash." I sigh after saying my name. His voice is going to give me a headache.

"Ah, right. Come on in." Even though I don't want to, I follow Vince's command. Once I've closed the door behind me, he motions for me to take a seat in front of his desk. "So, you're Kevin's wife, huh? The big bad manager chick that tried to run me out of business?"

I can feel my right eye physically twitch at his words. This is going to be the longest ten minutes of my life.

"It didn't work too well for me though, did it?" I give him an aggravated smirk. "We tried our best to take you down, but a certain little bitch in our management helped you seal the final nail in our coffin. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here right now."

If Bischoff hadn't been able to sink his teeth so far into WCW, we could have eventually pulled ourselves out of the hole that we'd fallen into. Hell, if not for him, we probably wouldn't have fallen that deep in the first place.

"I wouldn't be so certain about that, if I were you." Suck a cock. "WCW was doomed the moment that it decided to go head-to-head against my Monday Night RAW. It never stood a chance."

"We kicked your ass for a-" Before I can finish my thought, Vince cuts me off.

"Listen missy, I don't care who the hell you're married to." The tone in his voice fuels my aggravation. "Leave that Kliq attitude at the door. This isn't the 90s and the Nash name doesn't mean shit to me anymore. You're working for me now, not WCW, and I do things a little differently here."

He's treating me like I'm some disobedient child and it's driving me insane. I keep hearing Kev's voice of reason in the back of my head, reminding me that if I try to fight Vince McMahon, my ass is grass.

I don't give Vince a verbal reply, but I give him a nod as I chomp down on the inside of my cheek.

"If we're done with all of the nonsense," Vince takes a drink of whatever the hell he's drinking before loudly clearing his throat. "Let's get to what you'll be doing here in the WWF. That is, assuming that you don't fired or suspended between now and your first day."

Don't tell him to kiss your ass, don't tell him to kiss your ass.

"All right, what's my job?" The feeling of dread in my stomach has multiplied, like a horde of horny rabbits. My heart is ready to drop.

"Well, Jolene," Vince folds his hands atop one another, and I feel like he's dragging this out to make me suffer, "I'm going to have you working backstage for the foreseeable future. You'll be something of a mentor to the girls in the back, helping them with their promos and presence and all of that good stuff. On top of that, I expect you to make sure that all of our local talent is prepared for their matches."

I'm sorry, what? I'm in shock. I couldn't have heard him properly.

Pervert McMahon can't actually be giving me a decent job that I can actually do. There's no way.

"Seriously?" I don't believe him.

"Yes, Jolene," He sighs, "Seriously. You might be an angry little woman, but you're smart. You understand this business and what it takes to succeed in it. I think that if you get your head in the right place, you can use that knowledge for good."

Did he just politely tell me to get my head out of my ass?

"Thanks," I tell Vince simply. My guard is up because I don't trust this fucker, but I find myself truly appreciating his praise. "I've learned a thing or two in my years in the business."

"The only problem of yours is your attitude. Mind your manners and we won't have any problems, but if you keep that sass that you seem to be so fond of up, you will have to pay for it." Threaten me all you want, I'm not changing my ways. If I don't like something, I'm going to say something about it.

"Yes, sir." I bow mockingly to Vince from my seat, but since he doesn't give me any lip for it, I think he takes me seriously. "I'll be on my best behavior from here on out. Promise."

"You'd better be." Vince grumbles. I can't tell if he likes me or despises me; I guess only time will tell. "Now, get on out of here. Send the next one in. Huffman. The Booker guy."

"Huffman the Booker Guy? Huh, I don't think I've ever heard of someone by that name." I don't mean to hit Vince with more of the sass that he adores oh-so-much, but some habits are hard to break. "Did you happen to mean Rob Booker Huffman? I know hi-"

"GO, JOLENE!" Vince barks and I leave his office cackling like a mad woman.

Is this how my boys felt all those years ago whenever they'd fuck with the old man? Because for as much as I hate being here, seeing the annoyance on Vince's face brought joy to my heart. I think that may be the first time I've truly laughed at work in a long time.

When I get back out to the lobby of the hotel, there's a large group of former WCW guys gathered where I'd been sitting. A bunch of poor saps waiting to meet McMahon. It looks like Dallas has headed out; where's my son of a bitch at?

"Sorry Book, you're the next sacrifice to devil." I tell Booker solemnly. "Satan himself hath requested thee."

"Ah, it was going to happen sooner or later." Book stands up with a grunt and gives me a small smile. "How'd it go?"

"I'm not going to be sucking his dick on national television, so it went better than I expected." I shrug. "Have fun." I go to leave before asking, "Where's Dallas?"

"'Said he was going to go call his wife. He should be up in his room." Booker tells me over his shoulder as he walks. "Ask him about his angle!"

"Plan on it." I wave at Book as I head outside. I can feel the eyes of the other guys watching as I leave, but I honestly don't care. I have no reason to talk to them, especially not Buff.

Fuck it. Fuck 'em.

As soon as I step foot outside of the hotel, I reach into my pocket and grab my cigarettes and lighter. If there's one thing that I can almost always count on to settle my nerves, it's my nicotine.

That, and my badass, asshole husband. Dammit Kevin, why can't you be here right now?

I'm only a couple of puffs in, and a harsh feeling of loneliness has already smacked me in the face. I miss Kev. I miss Scott. I miss Kim. I've got Dallas, but he's not here right now. The point of the matter is, it's going to be like this a lot for the next few months.

Just me, myself, and my cigarettes.

Of course, as soon as I start thinking like this, Dallas scares the shit out of me with a, "Hey, sis!" right behind my head.

"Hey, bro." I greet him as I smoke. He moves so that he stands opposite of the way my smoke blows.

"How'd your meeting go?" Dally asks and I sigh. "What's he got you doing?"

"Mentoring." He looks as shocked as I was. "Yeah, McMahon wants me to help his ladies on the mic and make sure that the squash talent is ready for their matches. Granted, I don't know how much he expects me to teach these girls when they're doing the stupid shit they're doing, but I'll do what I can."

It's not that I think the ladies don't have talent, because I'm sure that they do. Hell, the fact that they even bother getting their asses in the ring is impressive. Even WWF's shittiest female wrestler is a million times better at wrestling than I am.

But when it comes to their promos, does Vince just want me to teach them sex appeal? Because I can do that. I guess we'll just have to see how this shit goes.

"That's not a bad gig for you." Dally bumps my arm with his fist. "That is, as long as you don't get into fights with the other girls."

"Why does everyone worry about my mouth?" I shake my head. "You, Kev, McMahon... Jesus, you'd think I'm some sort of bitch."

"You're the one that said it, not me." Dally holds his hands up playfully and I stick my tongue out at him. I love Dallas, even if he is a little shit.

"What about you though, brother? What's he going you doing?" I ask as I put out my cigarette on the concrete below our feet. As soon as I ask the question, Dally's face drops.

"I get to work with The Undertaker." He tells me slowly. I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Okay? That's great, right?" I tilt my head. How is working with The Undertaker bad?  "He's one of the top guys in the company."

"He is," Dallas agrees, "But it's the angle that we're running that's the problem."

"What is it?" I'm kind of scared. What the fuck is it?

"Well..." Dallas takes a deep breath. "I don't think you're going to believe it."

"The point, Page. Get to it." He's got me confused as hell over here.

"Joli," He tells me with a heavy sigh. He looks around to make sure that we're alone out here before whispering in my ear, "Dammit, sis, I'm going to be stalking his wife!"

I stand still for a moment, trying to let Dally's words register in my mind. He didn't stutter and every word was pronounced properly, so why am I having such a hard time understanding what he said? There's no way I heard it right.

Diamond Dallas Page cannot be stuck in a stalking angle with The Undertaker. Vince McMahon is not this goddamn stupid; he can't be.

Right? RIGHT?!

Chapter 97: like it should be

Kevin Nash's POV

- - -

When WCW shut down, I really didn't know if I'd be making it back into the business anytime soon. I don't want to say that the company my wife loves as much as she loves me had me burned out on it, but fuck, it did. A man can only put so much into his job before he doesn't want to do it anymore.

Of course, my body being kind of fucked didn't really help matters. I'm not as young as I once was and I'll be the first to admit that. This old body of mine has been through hell and back over the years, and I'm grateful it's not completely given out on me. In fact, I feel just about as good as new.

The past few weeks I've not been able to relax as much, because I've been preparing for the nWo's WWF debut. Honestly, it seems like the whole thing is going to be a bit... unusual, but fuck, who am I to say Vince is wrong? After all, he won the damn war, didn't he?

I guess I really don't even have to say that much about Vince, because Joli has been saying enough. Ever since she started working for the WWF several months ago, she's been on some sort of roller coaster with it. One day she'll be perfectly content with the job and the next she's ready to jump down the creative team's throat.

Joli's main problem with the WWF thus far has been the piss-poor storyline that they gave Dally to start with. In her defense, none of us were really that happy about it. It was fucking stupid.

How was anyone in the world supposed to believe that goddamn Dallas Page was trying to stalk The Undertaker's wife? That's dumb as shit. When you've got a bangin' bitch like Kimberly at home, you don't fuck with anyone else's girl. No offense to Sara, but she's no Kimberly.

That bullshit aside though, I honestly don't think Joli's had that big of an issue with the WWF. She seems to really be enjoying working with all of the new talent that's down there, and I know she really likes sharing her knowledge of the business. My gal's got such a damn good mind for what we do and she has so many stories to pass on.

Although she's settled into that role very well, I know it's been a big change for Joli. She's as used to being out on stage as I am; whether she was a valet, an announcer, or a manager, Joli's always been in front of the crowd. The WWF has no place for her on television, but she's killing it backstage.

There, Joli's been making some friends, too. She seems quite fond of gals like Trish and Lita, and I think she's taken quite a liking to Jazz. Socializing with her own gender has never been an easy task for Jolene, but I guess working directly with other women has been a blessing for her in that aspect.

The downside to it, though, is that I think being around so many young, attractive chicks has been bringing Joli down a bit over time. I'm not as young as I once was, and unfortunately, Joli realizes the same thing about herself. My wife is just as attractive at 35 as she was the first day I laid eyes on her, but I don't think she always feels like that.

I hate that I'm not there to comfort her when her insecurities get the better of her. All that I can do most of the time is just tell her how gorgeous she is and how much I fucking love her. Joli might not see it, but she's the most stunning woman on the planet, regardless of her age.

Thankfully though, Joli and I aren't going to be apart for too much longer.

In a couple of weeks, Scott, Terry, and I are coming back. On tonight's episode of RAW, Vince is going to announce that he's signed us to help take down the big boys in the company, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock. We're debuting at WWF's version of 'No Way Out,' and it's going to lead to Wrestlemania matches for us.

By 'us,' I mean I'll be chilling at ringside for Hogan/Rock and Scott/Austin. I've not got a match myself, but fuck, I'm still getting a good payoff for it. It's fuckin' Wrestlemania, man! It doesn't matter what you're doing, as long as you're on the goddamn card.

The part I have to argue with when it comes to this 'WWF nWo' is the fact that Joli isn't automatically involved in it. I understand that Vince just wants the founding three for the debut, but as of now, he's not got any official plans for adding her to the group. She's going to get to come out at Wrestlemania for Scott's match, but that's it.

When the time comes though, I feel like Vince is going to have to keep Joli around on-screen. Once the crowd sees her again, they're going to lose their shit! She's over, and once Vince sees that he's going to have to change his mind. Either that, or I'll badger his ass until he agrees to give her a fuckin' chance.

The nWo wouldn't have been what it was without Jolene. She put as much time into it as Scott, Terry, and I did. Bischoff too, I guess.

Weird as this whole angle is going to be, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little excited for it. Kid has been off television healing up an injury, and Vince has been talking about possibly bringing him back to join us as soon as he's cleared. It's been too damn long since I've worked with Kid! I miss that little motherfucker.

No offense to Kid though, but if Vince can have him join back with the nWo, why couldn't Joli? It doesn't make sense, which is why I think Vince will change his mind. For whatever reason I just don't think he buys into Joli's hype, at least not yet. By the end of 'Mania, though, he'll see how over my babe is.

I wonder, do any of the marks have any idea that Joli even works for Vince? It's never been stated directly on television, but she's been there the entire time since WCW closed. Then again, with all of the fuckin' websites and newsletters popping up on the internet nowadays, I wouldn't be surprised if that news broke long ago.

You know what? I miss my wife.

I've been lying in bed like a sorry son-of-a-bitch for the past hour, so it's definitely time for me to get my ass in gear. I grab the cordless phone off of my dresser and dial Joli's cell before I get out of bed.

After a couple of rings, Joli answers.

"Hey," She greets me with this tired voice, "Morning, hotshot."

"Hey babe," I place the phone between my shoulder and my ear as I walk over to the dresser, "How're you doing this morning?"

"I'm killed," Joli groans, "This has been the longest damn tour of my life." She pauses for a second while I go through a couple of drawers, grabbing some clean clothes. "How long is it until I get to come home again?"

I glance over at the calendar by the door towards our bathroom, but I can't make anything out on it so I have to walk over there. "Uh," I mutter as I scan the January page, "Four days, unless Vince changes his fickle mind." She was probably being rhetorical, but I was wondering myself what day she'd be back this time.

"I miss you so much. This traveling bullshit has got real old real fast without you here." Joli sighs heavily, "I don't know if I can handle another twelve hour car ride with Dallas. I will fly the goddamn plane myself regardless of the weather before I get stuck in that situation again. No way. Fuck the snow."

A small snicker comes out of my mouth as I think back to the journey Joli's referring to. Before they'd arrived in their current city, the WWF had been stuck with some travel problems. A snowstorm had prevented half of the talent from being able to make their flights, so many unfortunate fuckers (like my wife and Dallas) were stuck driving the entire journey overnight.

From what she told me, the first couple of hours weren't bad. Joli had been driving and she and Dallas had been fine. At some point after that, I guess he started to get anxious about the weather and he wouldn't shut up. When Joli was finally able to remind him that she's one of the safest driver's out there, he decided to take a nap.

If he wasn't snoring like a bitch, he was apparently rolling around in his seat and making scene. I think Joli nearly strangled him with his jacket.

"It wasn't funny, jackass." Joli whines, "I had to drive eight straight hours before Dallas took over."

"I know. We talked most of the ride." I reply as I sit my clothes on the dresser.

"Don't get snippy with me. You didn't have to deal with it." She huffs and I can just picture the pout on her lips. Fuck, I miss Joli.

"That's true. I've had it worse in my time though, because there were times where I spent nearly every day of the year with Shawn." I know that's a trump card, especially to Joli.

"You got me there," Joli admits with a dramatic gagging sound. Haven't heard a real one of those in too damn long. "I'm sorry you had to go through such a traumatizing experience."

I chuckle in response and place my hands on the dresser. I look down at my clothes as I ask her, "How excited are you to have the gang back together on the road?"

"I'm fuckin' ecstatic, babe!" My baby still sounds exhausted, but there's excitement in her voice that makes me smile. "It's going to be awesome."

"It is. You, me, Scott, and Terry, tearing it up on the screen again." I pull the phone away from my ear and press the speakerphone button on it, then I carry it in my hand as I walk to the bathroom. "Just like it should be."

"I think you mean that it's going to be you three and not me." Joli lets out a short, tart laugh. "I'll be cheering the fuck out of you guys from backstage, though."

"Ah, give it time, babe. After 'Mania, he won't be able to keep you off television. I guarantee it." As I sit the phone down on the sink, I catch a glance at myself in the mirror. God, I look a damn mess this morning.

"Please, I won't be considered for the nWo again until I'm ready to retire," Joli sounds so condescending and I can't blame her. She's right to assume that Vince won't budge on his decision - he rarely does.

"Don't be so sure of that. I think you'll be back with us before too long." Or at least, she better be.

"So anyway, what are your plans for the day?" Joli changes the subject and I don't fight it.

"Eat, workout, shower, maybe jack my dick a couple of times since you're not here, check out RAW... You know, usual Monday shit." I smack my cheek a couple of times, watching myself in the mirror as I do so. "You?"

"I've got a class with a few of the ladies at two to help with promo work. From there, it's just a normal RAW night." Joli's schedule is usually pretty cut and dry, but I think that helps keep her on track.

"Nice," I nod as I start brushing my hair out, "You can be my sexy teacher any day of the week."

"I'm down if you are. I'm sure you'll be a horrible student, though," Joli tells me in this alluring tone. It makes both my heart and cock ache, because I fucking miss her presence and her pussy. "You'll need a lot of extra credit if you want to pass this course."

"Tell Vince to go suck a chode and come home early." I sit the brush down once I'm finished, then I pull my hair back. "I miss your hot little ass."

"As much as I'd love to, you know I can't do that right now. McMahon hasn't pissed me off enough to deserve the Bitchoff treatment." Fair point. "I miss you like hell, Kev."

"We'll be back together before too long, babe." As much as I hate her being gone, I'm at least glad to know that she'll be home in a few days. It could be worse.

"Not soon enough," Joli mutters. I agree.

Joli will be home in a few days, and soon after, we'll be able to head out on the road together. Reuniting the nWo is going to be cool I guess, but the best part of it all is going to be spending time with my wife.

You don't realize how much you love someone until you go without seeing them for days, sometimes even weeks, at a time. A man's got to work, and what can make that shit better than doing it with the lady you love?

Chapter 98: welcome back, boys

Scott Hall's POV

- - -

To be completely honest, I never thought that the day would come when I'd be backstage at a WWF event again, let alone waiting to make my return. When I left to join WCW in '96, I was certain that all of my bridges had been burned for good. It's kind of nice to know that wasn't the case.

I mean, I never wanted to leave the WWF in the first place, but I didn't really have a choice. Vince didn't give a shit about me and the money Turner offered was too good to turn down. I did what I had to do at the time and I don't think anyone should fault me for that.

Besides, it wasn't exactly like WCW was full of flowers and sunshine. If there's one thing that my break from wrestling has made me realize, it's that I really got fucked up during that second run in Joli's favorite company.

At the beginning, it was so perfect. I loved working with Kev, Joli, and Kid and just fuckin' shit up everywhere we went. All of those nights on the road were a blast, and they're some of the memories that I hold near and dear to my heart. After a while though, things just started to decline for me.

I don't know what the real turning point was, or when it really started. I guess my alcoholism mixed in with the demands of the company and the shit Bischoff put on me, and it just really took a toll on my health. The whole thing with Joli and Kev fuckin' hurt, but I can't say that they're the reason I've suffered so much because they're not. They've been so good to me, even when I've given them every reason in the world to turn their backs on me.

Then there was the whole situation with Alundra, who still crosses my mind far more frequently than she probably should. She's near the top of the list of things I fucked up.

I really wish that I could say that I'm drastically better off now, but that isn't exactly the case. My break was great because it gave me a chance to relax and spend time with my son, but I didn't make any progress in fixing my mental health. I went to a couple of therapy appointments, but they just seemed to do more harm than good for me.

Simply put, I'm in the same shitty shape I was near the end of WCW and there's nothing I can do to fix it.

Today though, I'm going to try and not worry about all of that. Tonight is going to be pretty fuckin' cool.

As soon as I walk into the arena for No Way Out, I'm taken aback by how different everything looks. Just the entire feel of the event is so different from everything I remember about the WWF. I guess having a shit ton more money at your disposal can really do that for a company.

Several people greet me as I make my way to the back, but it's really Kev and Joli that I'm looking for. I've only seen them once since WCW croaked and that's mainly my fault. We've kept in touch over the phone, but we haven't seen each other in months.

I find my best friends walking down the hallway near the dressing rooms. I sneak up behind them and wrap an arm around both of them.

"Hey guys, it's been a while." I greet with a grin.

"You're lucky I didn't smack the shit out of you." Joli rolls her eyes, but she at least looks like she's happy to see me. "Missed you too."

"Scott! How're you doing today, man?" Kev nudges me in the side and I laugh. "We were on our way to Vin Man's office. He wants to see you and me, but I had no idea when you'd be here so I was going to go see what it was about."

"I'm just tagging along until he gets there. I've got no interest in talking to the old man right now." Joli shrugs indifferently. I don't think she hates Vince, but really, who would want to just go see him for the hell of it?

"All right. Let me drop my shit off and we'll head out together." I pull my bag off of my shoulder and carry it in my hand.

"Fine with me. If you're here, I won't get bitched at because you're not." Kev shoots me this dumb, cocky smirk and I have to smile.

After I drop my bag off in the locker room, I meet back up with Joli and Kev. We chat it up like we always do on our way to Vince's office, but that's where we part ways with Joli. She and Kev share a quick kiss before me and the big guy knock on the door. It takes Vince a couple of moments, but as soon as he gives us the 'okay,' we head in.

"Scott Hall and Kevin Nash," Vince's voice is as gruff as ever, "it's been a long time since we last talked, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, mainly because you use your underlings to do your negotiations, but that's okay." Kev's naturally smart-ass attitude doesn't take any time in coming out. "At least you met with my wife once."

"I've got to say, I've not missed your little quips." Vince clears his throat and it sounds like he's about to cough up a lung or something. "That aside, there's a good reason why I called you two in here today."

"I'd hope so." I mutter to Kev, just loud enough that Vince can hear me. We're both just fucking around with him and he knows that.

Vince doesn't sell my comment, but by the slight, irked narrowing of his brows I know he heard me clear as day. "Listen, I know that we ended things on bad terms when you both betrayed me," Right, "but I want you two to know that I want all of that behind us. Having you both back in my company makes me feel like a wrong has been righted." He then holds out his hands in a kind manner. "Welcome back, boys."

Even though Vince didn't admit to any wrong doing, his statement feels very honest and sincere. I know that Kev and I both have always really liked Vince, and hearing directly from the man himself that he's glad to have us back really does my heart good.

It's the kind of thing that a person needs to hear every once in a while.

"I can't say that this was always the plan, but I think being back here will be good all of us. As long as your booking committee gets their shit together, anyway." Kev and Vince share a look that makes me laugh a little. "Honestly though, I appreciate that Vince. Thank you."

"I'm glad you want us here again. Things went really sour in '96, and I'm glad that's not going to be the note we end on. The future can hold some good things for us all." I don't really know what to say Vince, but I say what I can.

"I believe so too, fellas." Vince nods respectfully towards Kev and I before motioning to the door. "Now, go get ready for tonight. I'm sure you'll do great."

"You don't have to tell us twice." I joke as we wave to Vinny Mac and head on out. As soon as we're gone, I say to Kev, "That was nice."

"It was." He agrees, a thoughtful look on his face. "Good on Vince for actually giving a damn."

"A nice change of pace from how it used to be." Even if it doesn't last, at least we have today to say that Vince was damn cool.

Now that that's over, I guess all that's left to do is find Joli and wait for our debut.

-

I might not always be at the top of my game, but tonight, I'm going to do my damn best. It probably wasn't a good idea to sneak a few drinks out of the flask in my bag, but my mind isn't fucked, so that's all that really matters.

Just standing here at Gorilla with Kev and Terry feels so damn comforting and familiar. We've spent so much time just kicking ass and taking names together, and for us to be reunited as the 'original' nWo, it feels special.

Our music hits and I feel the adrenaline once more course through my veins. I've not been this excited about wrestling in a long time, and all I'm doing is going out there to cut a damn promo. Hell, I don't even have to do all that much talking! Kev's the one that got stuck with that job.

It's been a while since the three of us worked together, but as we make our way to the ring, it's obvious none of us have lost a step. We goof around and play off of each other as well as we ever did. It's not often that you find that kind of chemistry with people in this business.

I can't help but wish Joli was out here with us, though. Sure she wasn't one of the original three, but she still put plenty of time in.

The crowd seems pretty hot for us and it surprises me a bit. I figured that we would be over, but I didn't think that people would care as much as they're seeming to. It's weird, but I can dig it, suckaaaa.

We all three line up in the ring, and right off the bat, we're silent. We just take a moment to let everything sink in, because even if this shit fuckin' flops, right now it's a beautiful moment. I can't keep a dumb smile off my face as we get into position.

The nWo is back, baby.

It's kind of aggravating that when Kev starts talking, he's plagued by that obnoxious 'What?' chant that Austin started. Every time Kev pauses for just a second, the damn word is belted out by the crowd.

I've never been a fan of that chant, what can I say?

Kev begins by talking about how we've got so much heat backstage and how no one wants us there. It's all to play into the fact that we're here to do Vince's dirty work. He goes on about we've been referred to as 'poison,' and how people say that we're going to ruin the company.

Everyone hates us, and why? What have we done so far in the WWF? How could anyone hate the New World Order? It just doesn't make any sense!

At least, that's the message we're here to portray.

After Kev finishes his part, he hands me the mic and steps to the side. He lets me be front and center for my part of this promo, but as soon I step forward, the crowd begins to cheer. I have to wait a moment for them to quiet down before I can start talking.

"Hey yo."

The second I say my iconic line, the crowd loses their shit - hell, I lose mine. I try my best not to break character, but when you've got an arena full of fans popping just because you're back, how can you not? The biggest, goofiest smile is on my face for a couple of moments before I'm able to regain my composure and continue my promo.

All I do is talk briefly about how we're not the bad guys, and how we're just fans that are trying to enjoy our little bit in the company. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Terry takes over after I do, and his pop is bigger than mine could've ever been. To play it off, Kev and I point to him and joke around until they settle down for him.

The old Huckster just talks about how he's like me and Kev and all of us, just a fan of the business. To heel it up even more, he name drops Vince and thanks him for giving the nWo a chance!

This might not go down in history as our best promo as a trio, but I feel like it's actually went pretty well. If nothing else, the crowd really seemed to enjoy it, and I know I've had fun.

I feel like this final nWo run will be pretty damn cool, even if it does turn out to be a flop in the end. At least I get to have a few more moments in the ring with these two motherfuckers.

Chapter 99: full circle (finale)

Jolene Nash's POV

- - -

There are some moments in life when you have to just sit back and wonder, 'Wow. How the fuck did I end up here? Is this really happening to me?' and honestly, I'm living one right now. I see the world and the people around me very clearly, but there's still part of me that is a bit blown away by disbelief.

I'm at motherfucking Wrestlemania.

On top of that, I get to work this event with my husband and our best friend. I get to be apart of Scott Hall vs 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, and I even get to take a fucking STONE COLD STUNNER! How insane is that?

I'm definitely not a huge mark for Vince or his company, but there's just something about being at Wrestlemania that just feels so satisfying, you know?

When people say that this is the biggest show of the year, they're right. Starrcade was big, sure, but this is fuckin' huge. Just the bloody atmosphere here is leaps and bounds different than anything we ever had in WCW - which to be fair, this is different than any other WWF show I've ever been at.

I can't knock Vince when it comes to the amazing experience that is Wrestlemania. I mean nowadays, the entire week before is like some big fan event. At Axxess, the marks get to go out and have the time of their lives meeting their favorite wrestlers and socializing with other people just like them. It has really blown my mind how big of a shindig this is.

"This is fuckin' crazy," Dally comments as we stand by Gorilla, watching the end of the Rob Van Dam/William Regal match that's starting the night. My big bro has his European Championship around his waist and just seeing it gives me an immense feeling of pride. He deserves a title. "The crowd is hot."

"It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. There are so damn many of them out there." I can't wrap my mind around it.

I could say a lot of shit about the way Vince runs his company, but at the end of the day, none of my opinions matter. His company is a global phenomenon and none of it would be possible without the crazy guy behind the reigns.

It's a tough pill to swallow, but WCW couldn't have ever been like this. We tried and we failed because Vince really does have a wacky way of running a business.

"Every Wrestlemania been like this?" Dallas asks, looking over at Kev. I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't skip a beat seeing him in his nWo ring gear again.

It takes me back to a simpler time, when WCW wasn't filled with bullshit and morons. When we ran the fuckin' place.

"It's a lot different now than it was at my last one," Kev admits with a shrug, "But then again, I was sort of checked out at that point anyway. They made me look like a fuckin' dumbass in my match with Mark, so it was what it was."

"I can't imagine it was anywhere close to this back in '96," I say as RVD knocks Regal down and begins to climb the ropes, "The WWF wasn't as big then."

BOOM! Frog Splash.

"Plus there was the whole fact that everyone believed I'd single-handedly run the company into the ground with my world title reign, but again, what can you do when the booking is shit?" Kev lets out a laugh and it makes me smile.

I'm so helplessly in love with him.

"Whats it like to have the freedom to shit talk your employer with absolutely zero repercussions?" Dallas grins and holds his hands up. "I'd really like to know."

"Ah, it's fine. Just keep talking and they'll eventually get tired of listening." Kev replies nonchalantly. It's hard to hear over the roar of RVD's theme music and the excited crowd.

Dude just won the Intercontinental Championship and I'm happy for him. Rob Van Dam is one cool son-of-a-bitch.

"That's how I can get my ass fired, bro!" Dallas rolls his eyes.

"Just stay persistent and they'll fuck off sooner or later! Don't worry too much about it." My husband is such a smug little asshole, but I love that about him.

"As fun as that sounds, I'd rather stay out of the unemployment line." Dally shakes his head and Kev just snickers.

This feels so right, and it has ever since Kev and Scott returned to the WWF. The several months without them were so long and painful, but having the whole WCW crew together again makes this job worth it.

We turn to watch as Regal and then RVD make their way through the curtain. RVD and I high-five as he passes by, and I can't help but hope that he's going to smoke the greatest celebratory blunt in history tonight.

"Well guys, it's been real. I'll see you two soon." Dallas starts to stretch, preparing himself for his match. He's up next, after all.

"Good luck man!" I smile at Dally and he reciprocates it. "Defend that title like the goddamn pro that you are."

"Have fun!" Kev gives my big brother a pat on the back, and after that, we give him some space. On our way back to our dressing room, we pass by Christian, who is Dally's opponent tonight.

"He looks goofy as hell in that shirt," Kev comments as we continue to walk, "What's with guys wearing those fishnets, anyway?"

"I don't know," I admit with a shrug, "It's the trend that never dies." Let's face it though, it really should.

When we walk into the dressing room, we see Scott, Paul, and Steph gathered around a television set, watching the event. Scott's sitting down on one of the benches while Paul and Steph stand beside him.

"Hey guys." Kev greets as he takes a seat down on the bench across from Scott. I walk over to my gimmick bag in the corner of the room and grab my smokes while Paul replies.

"Hey. Been a while since we worked a 'Mania together, huh?" I look over at Paul just in time to catch one of those stupid smirks on his face.

"Yeah, and now you're main eventing the motherfucker." Kev grins at his friend as I take a seat beside of him. Although I'm keeping up with the conversation, my eyes are locked on the television screen. I've got to watch Dally's match. "See? We always knew you had it in you."

"I might be main eventing, but we're stuck after the fucking Rock/Hogan match." Paul grumbles. "No one is going to give a shit by that point. The women's match is going to be a cool down match, I'm sure, but come on. What's the point if everyone's going to be exhausted when you go out?"

Although he's coming off a bit bitter, I think Paul's more disappointed than anything. I don't blame him. Terry and Dwayne are too damn tough acts to follow on their own, but when you put them together, I'm sure it'll be next to fuckin' impossible. It's great that the world title is closing the show - your main title always has to look strong - but like Paul said, what's it matter if the crowd can't care at that point?

"I understand what you're saying, but it's Triple H vs Chris Jericho. You two are going to burn the house down." I really am excited to see their match. "Rock and Hogan is going to be a big deal, but you and Jericho are awfully damn talented yourselves."

As I watch this match, I can't help but wonder why Christian isn't more admired for his in-ring work. He's obviously pretty over with the crowd because we're in Canada, but he's always seemed like he's been playing second fiddle to Edge. Edge is great, no doubt about it, but Christian can put on one hell of a show himself.

Dallas? He always kills it. I'm so proud of my big brother. The WWF crowd that once shunned him because of the shitty storylines he was stuck with have begun to welcome and adore him. Dally puts so much of his soul into everything he does and it's obvious just by watching him.

"It'll be fine, Paul. Listen to Joli." I hear Steph say as Dally and Christian go outside of the ring.

"I'm always right." I might as well be, right?

"I could disagree, but for the sake of my marriage I'm just going to say that's true." Love you too, Kevin.

"Since we're not married, can I disagree?" Scott asks jokingly. I flip him off with my hand that isn't holding my cigarettes and my lighter. "Harsh! Even on WrestleMania day, she's got that temper."

"All hail our angry lord, Jolene." Okay, Paul. I hear you.

"All hail." Kev and Scott echo.

"I'm trying to watch a match, assholes." I can't help but smile as I lean in closer towards the television. In return, Kev leans backwards a bit.

"So anyway," Steph begins to change the subject, "I'm really excited for tonight. I think that this has the potential to be one of the best WrestleMania yet. Everything on the card just seems like it's going to be so damn fun."

I've got agree. I've not really seen many WrestleMania events or matches, but fuck, I'm sure this will be the best one yet. If nothing else, I think it'll be pretty damn badass.

Our room is filled with chatter as Dallas and Christian finish their match. My big brother retains his title after hitting a beautiful Diamond Cutter, and like the little DDP mark I am, I fuckin' pop. I knew that Dallas was going to keep his belt, but that doesn't mean that I enjoyed the match any less.

Soon after Dally's match finishes, Steph and Paul head out to go talk to Jericho. I go congratulate my brother and Christian on their match before heading out to smoke.

I really wish that Kimmy was here, because I feel like she'd love the atmosphere of WrestleMania. I can only imagine how great she'd do on a stage this big, looking like the drop-dead gorgeous queen that she is.

Unfortunately, Kimmy's stuck at the hotel with a stomach bug. Maybe I should buy her one of those little teddy bears that has the 'Mania logo on it? I don't know.

I smoke outside by myself - by that, I mean that it's just me and the massive number of security guards that are stationed around the building. None of them really say shit to me, they just look at me every so often as if to question why I really needed to come out here.

Bitch, I'm Jolene Nash. I smoke wherever and whenever I want.

It's not until the nicotine really hits me that I realize just how nervous I've actually been about tonight. I don't think it has anything to do with me worrying about fucking anything up, because I'm quite confident in myself and abilities. I may not have been in a managerial role in over a year, but when something is your livelihood for so long, you don't forget how to do it.

I don't think it's the crowd, either. I've performed in front of thousands of people before, so I don't think tens of thousands on end would be any different.

Maybe it's not that I'm nervous, but that I'm excited? That makes a lot more sense. I've enjoyed my run backstage, but getting back out on the screen is where I feel I can really shine. I know that Kev is convinced that tonight is going to lead to me becoming a permanent member of the nWo again, but I can't buy into that.

Tonight's going to probably be my last night as an on-screen member of the New World Order, so I've got to go out there and fuckin' kill it. I guess if anything, I owe Vince for giving me a proper sendoff in the group that I love more than life.

Eric never gave me the chance to say farewell to the nWo or WCW marks. I get to finish all of my on-screen business tonight before settling into my backstage role for good.

I can't think of a better way to go out than with Kev and Scott by my side. If this is the last match of my career, I think I'm okay with that.

I mean, I get to take a fucking stunner! How goddamn cool is that?!

After I finish my smoke, I head back into the building. Kev, Scott and I sit around and shoot the shit until it's time for us to prepare for the match, and as we wait at Gorilla with Steve, a chill goes down my spine.

This is it. Showtime.

The glass shatters and Steve bursts through the curtain. I look up at Kev with a small, excited smile and he kisses the top of my head.

"Let's go kick some ass one last time." I tell my boys. I give Scott an encouraging smile, because even though I know he's excited, it's obvious that he's still not in the best state of mind. "Hall, Nash, and Milford against the world."

"One last time." Scott agrees, giving Kev and I a little grin. It warms my icy heart to see an upbeat look on his trouble face.

We wait for our music to begin and I feel as though my heart is beating a million beats per second. Here we go!

Scott heads out first, because after all, he's the one of us that's competing tonight. He makes his way halfway down the ramp before pointing to the stage and cracking a smile.

As soon as Kev and I first step onto the stage, I feel small tears attempting to form in the corners of my eyes. It's one thing to be walking out to the iconic nWo theme song again, but it's another to be met with a fucking pop. It's nothing compared to what Steve received, but I don't care at all.

We're the heels! We're not supposed to be over. The boos that echo through the crowd are really what get me going.

It's not WCW, but this is the closest the WWF will ever feel to it. This is the night I've been waiting for.

My boys and I goof around with one another as we make our way to the ring. While Scott goes to face Steve, Kev and I walk over to Steve's corner. Right off the bat, we cause a distraction which allows Scott to get in an early attack on the WWF's foul-mouthed hero.

Of course, it doesn't take long for Steve to get back onto his feet. He and Scott start going back and forth with one another, trading blows and crowd reactions as it goes.

Whenever it looks like Scott is getting himself into a rough spot in the match, I hop my little ass up onto the apron and give the ref a taste of the ol' Joli charm. While he's distracted, Kev beats the shit out of Steve.

Before long, the crowd is livid. Steve is so damn over and the last thing the WWF marks want to see is him lose to the nWo. The back and forth continues for a bit longer, but as we near the end of the match, things get wild.

Steve smacks Scott down and, as he attempts to pin him, Kev pulls the referee out of the ring and knocks him out. While Steve is distracted, Scott takes the chance to get back up to his feet and take over again. Kev and I slide into the ring, and with me, I bring a steel chair.

Kevin holds Steve up and restrains his arms while I pass Scott the chair. I'm screaming at him to kick his ass and of course, he plans on listening to me. Before Scott can get the chance to hit Steve though, things go to shit for us.

Steve low-blows Kev (thanks, Steve) and while we're in shock of that, he knocks the chair out of Scott's hands and hits him with a stunner. Right after Scott goes down, he hits Kev with one.

The crowd is going crazy, but it doesn't end there.

Since both of my boys have been knocked down, it's my turn to get into the rattlesnake's face. Steve and I face off with one another, screaming and cursing and causing a scene. I go to kick Steve in the dick as revenge for my husband, but he deflects me with ease.

From there, it's a smooth transition into a stunner.

I'm grateful for the fact that Steve is such a damn good worker, because the hardest part of the bump is me smacking my back in the ring. My back is going to be sore as hell tomorrow, but I don't give a fuck! That was so much fun. The crowd is hot as I lie there, selling my bump to the highest degree possible. I'm sure that, to the audience, I look like I'm dead.

There's nothing more I'm going to be able to do in the match, so I pretty much just play unconscious for the remainder of it. After I took my stunner, Steve graciously rolled me to the ropes from where Kev later picks me up.

Kev tries to go after Steve, but a horde of referees comes from the back and escorts him out. The entire time, I'm just a lifeless lump in my babe's arms. It's only as Kev stands at the entrance way that I begin to stir.

"We're backstage, so you're good." I open my eyes completely at look up at Kev as he talks to me, "How're you feeling?"

"Like I'm higher than the clouds." I tell him honestly. "Goddamn, that was fun!"

Much to my chagrin, Kev helps place me on my feet. I was enjoying being so far off the ground.

"You sold that stunner like a pro." Kev ruffles my hair and I smack his hand away.

"Don't mess my hair up more than it already is, babe. I might not be on camera anymore but still." I laugh and so does he. We've just barely taken a few steps away from Gorilla when Steve's music hits once again.

"I guess that's that then." Kev looks over his shoulder, towards the stage. I'm not sure what the exact finish of the match was, aside from the obvious fact that Scott was to take another stunner. "Now I guess we just wait."

And wait we do. While Kev and Scott prepare for their backstage segment with Terry, the one where Terry tells them that he wants to go out alone tonight, I go and smoke myself another cigarette. As I lean against the concrete building, my body begins to ache a bit.

The real pain won't start until tomorrow, but for the next several days, I'll be pretty sore. I'm not used to taking any kind of pounding outside of the bedroom, so of course even a simple stunner is going to fuck me up. I wouldn't have had the spot go down any other way, though. It was perfect.

I finish my cigarette up rather quickly and head back inside. Scott and Kev are going to be busy until the end of Terry's match, so I search around the backstage area until I find Dallas. It's amazing to see how many people are back here, and to see how happy and excited that they are. The feeling back here hasn't changed all night.

"How'd that stunner feel, sis?" Dally asks in greeting as I take a seat across from him. I found him in one of the lounge rooms, enjoying a nice, healthy meal from the extravagant catering spread Vince got everyone.

"It was a lot of fun," I grin, "and the crowd really liked it. I think it was a perfect way for me to go out."

"'Go out'?" Dallas echoes, looking at me with this confused expression on his face. "You can't mean that you're retiring."

"Hell no!" I laugh, shaking my head, "Eric Bischoff is as far away from me as possible. I have no reason to retire, at least, not completely. What I mean is that I think I'm done with an on-screen role now. Vince doesn't have any plans for keeping me with the nWo, and with all of the work I can do backstage, maybe that isn't as shitty as I'd once thought."

"That's a really mature way of thinking, Jolene." Dallas seems surprised and although I want to be offended, I can't be. He knows as well as anyone how much I've put into my on-screen career. "You're good at sharing that crazy mind of yours. I'm glad you like doing it."

"I feel like that's the best place for me. I mean, if I'm not in the nWo, I'm not sure where I'd go in kayfabe, anyway. There are too many good workers in the company for me to have a spot and I get that. My stubborn ass doesn't always want to admit that my time has passed, but that's the truth of the matter." Just saying the words is hard to do.

Someone like myself doesn't have as long of a shelf life as someone who actually wrestles. That's just how it is. I put in nearly ten combined years as a valet, announcer, and manager, which is really quite amazing. I think I've made my mark on the industry in some way or another, for better or for worse.

"I'm proud of you, really." Dallas chuckles and gives me a genuine smile. "I can't believe you're the same little girl me and Kim met all those years ago in a bar in Norfolk. You don't even seem like that chick anymore."

"I'm still the same little bitch you know and love," I smirk, "I'm just a little wiser to the way that things work in life."

Dallas just shakes his head with this fond little look on his face. I really am grateful to have such a damn cool guy on my side. Even though the family I was born into has treated me like shit over the years, my wrestling family has given me more love than I could have ever hoped for.

For the next little bit, Dallas and I watch the show on one of the nearby television screens. I grab myself a plate of food as well, because man, I'm fucking hungry. We've been at the arena all damn day and with this kind of thing, you just have to eat whenever you can.

The backstage segment with the original nWo makes me smile. I don't think there will ever be a time when I don't pop for Kev, Scott, and Terry as a trio. They just work so well together.

From there, we switch into the beginning of the non-main event, main event of the evening, Hulk Hogan vs The Rock. The nWo theme hits, Terry saunters his way out there, and the crowd?

Oh, the crowd loses their fucking minds.

I don't think I've ever seen this kind of a reaction in person before. Obviously the heat from the crowd when Terry joined the nWo was ridiculously powerful, but this? This is on a whole new level. All he's doing is heading to the ring and the crowd has gone bat-shit insane.

"Are you seeing this?" I ask Dallas, unable to hide my amazement. "This is fucking crazy!"

"It is." Dally sounds mesmerized. "Goddamn, Hulk is over."

Don't get me wrong, it's natural to assume that Hulk mf-ing Hogan is going to be over. He's been the pioneer of our industry for so damn long, and he's probably the most recognizable wrestler in existence. However, he's been gone for over a year and he's the fucking heel in the match! By all the rules of wrestling, he shouldn't be as over as he is in this exact moment.

Even as Dwayne makes his way to the ring and the match begins, the crowd can't stop popping for Terry. Every hit that Dwayne lands on Terry results in a thunder of boos from the crowd, and it's the strangest thing I've ever seen. I get goosebumps just watching it!

There are several moments that Terry and Dwayne just stop in the middle of the match, staring at each other and taking in the crowd. It's obvious that they're as shocked about all of this as we are.

"They can't keep Terry heel." I shake my head, my eyes never leaving the screen. "He's got to turn."

"The crowd has already decided it." Dallas agrees. "I don't know the most about WrestleMania, but I'm pretty damn sure this is going to be one of the most important moments in its history."

I'd say he's right about that.

As the match continues, I keep expecting Scott and Kev to run out and interfere, as was the original plan. The time never comes though, and after a long, hard-fought match, Dwayne gets Terry down for the three count.

People love to say shit about Terry's creative control, and I'll admit that there is a lot of truth to it. He loves to win and he hates to lose. Man though, in this match, Terry made Dwayne look like a million fuckin' bucks.

Even as Dwayne celebrates, Terry sells the fuck out of his injuries. It makes me happy. When Terry goes to leave the ring, he stops to share a handshake with Dwayne. That is the kind of moment that everyone is going to be thinking of on their way back to their hotel.

It's soon after that things go to shit. Scott and Kev take to the ring and begin beating down on their third man! Dwayne comes to Terry's rescue, and after a bit of a scuffle, the faces come out on top. My boys have to scurry to the back as Dwayne and Terry revel in the joyous crowd.

"I'm going to go find my husband and see how the fuck everyone else has reacted to this." I tell Dally as I stand up from my seat. I'm all jacked up on adrenaline again. "I'll catch up with you later, bro."

"Later, sister." Dallas waves me off, and after tossing my plate in the trash, I head out on my search.

I find Kev and Scott as they're walking into the locker room. I scoot in after them and grab Kev's hand.

"How wild was that?" I ask as I look up at my boys.

"I want to say it was 'Hog Wild,' but we all know how bad those shows were." Kev laughs as he takes a seat on one of the benches. When I sit down beside of him, he wraps a sweaty arm around my shoulders.

"It was special." Scott looks exhausted, but after a full match and another beat down, I'm not surprised. "Hulkamania is still running wild, brother."

"Now so more than ever, it feels like." I add, shaking my head in shock. "Jesus fuck. What'd Vince say about it?"

"He didn't know what the fuck to do about it, aside from having us help turn Hulk face." Kev shrugs. "I'm sure he'll have it all figured out tomorrow morning."

"He's good at working under pressure." Scott nods, "I'm just surprised that he didn't believe Terry would be that over in the first place."

"I don't think anyone could have predicted that." I motion towards the television in the corner of the room.

"You're probably right." Scott lets out a small, tired laugh.

As I sit here with my best friends in the world, just relaxing and watching the end of WrestleMania, I can't help but feel as though my life has somehow come full circle. My life really began when I joined the business as Dally, Scott, and Kev's valet, and now, here I am with the same crew nearly twelve years later.

Throughout all of the bullshit that we've gone through over the years, the bond between Kevin, Scott, and I has remained unbreakable. Eric tried his damnedest to pull us apart, but not even that devil himself could separate us.

Everything in life isn't always going to be perfect, and I get that, but right now, it seems like my life is pretty damn close to it. I have the most amazing husband in the world, and my friends are the best support system that I could ever ask.

If I could just stay in this one moment with Scott and Kev forever, then man, I'd be pretty fuckin' okay with that.

Chapter 100: epilogue

Third Person POV

- - -

Sometimes in life, things just don't work out the way that you expect them to. Sometimes, no matter how good something may seem, there is always something that is waiting in the background to fuck it up.

"... and that's why I would like to announce that we're bringing in the man that was the most influential in making WCW the little pain in my ass that it was." Yes, Vince was going exactly where you are expecting him to. "Please help me in welcoming Eric Bischoff to our team!"

The meeting room filled with applause, the exceptions being the Nash couple. Kevin was silent as he watched his wife, aware that a shit-show was about to ensue.

"That's it." Jolene spoke loudly as she stood up from her seat. "Fuck this. I'm out. I quit."

Without a word more, the woman stormed out of the room. Everyone turned to Kevin, who had a rather serene expression on his face.

"She really did it, huh?" Kevin shook his head before resting it on the palm of his hand. "You know, she handled that a lot better than I thought she would."

"Well," Vince turned his gaze to the door for just a moment before returning to his train of thought, "I guess that's that then. As I was saying..."

The meeting resumed as usual, but Kevin found it hard to pay attention. Although part of his mind was trying to figure out what his wife was going to do now, he could help but focus mainly on that the fact that she hadn't physically attacked Eric Bischoff, despite having the perfect chance to.

In Kevin's book, he'd count that as a win.