Breakdown 3-3-22 #1
{{Thursday, February 3
London
Breakdown}}
After the cameras went away outside the trainer's room, Spencer stepped out into the hallway, leaving Marie to be examined. Amy and Jaina were waiting, there was no one else in the hallway. Spencer looked around.
“I had security clear the area for us, make sure Howe and Tsunami couldn't get back here.”
“Good call. Thanks.”
“How is she?” Jaina looked worried.
“Don't know yet. She says her neck hurts.”
“Gods.”
“I should have just said yes sooner. Maybe they-”
“I told you this isn't your fault.”
“She's right, they would have done something regardless. You didn't have to let them force you into this.”
“I wasn't forced into anything. I chose to agree because I'm tired of this.”
“You know this won't be the end of it, right?”
“I know that. But I'm also not going to back down.”
Amy shook her head. “Of all the things you could have got from me, why did it have to be a hard head?”
Jaina smirked. Just then, the trainer's room door opened, and the medic stuck his head out.
“Miss Lancaster? Miss Caedes would like you to come in.”
Jaina nodded and entered the room, leaving Spencer in the hallway with Amy. She crossed her arms as Spencer leaned on the wall, letting out a frustrated sigh.
“This isn't really how I thought my first appearance as a champion would go.”
“You do understand what's going on here, right?” Spencer looked up at Amy's tone, she sounded upset.
“Yeah, those guys are assholes.”
“Those guys... are trying to distract you from being as successful as you can be.”
“They're doing a shit job, I'm US Champion.”
“You are. And they're not happy about it. They'll keep trying even harder to make you lose focus. You can't let them get to you.”
“Who says they are?”
“The look on your face. The way you wouldn't let anyone else walk Marie back here. Listen, I know all of this sucks but you have to stay focused. We don't know who you'll be defending against first, whether Christy will call for a rematch, or someone else steps up. Titles are targets, and challengers will use any distraction they can against you. Case in point...” Amy pointed to the trainers room door, clearly meaning Marie.
“You think this is my fault? She's your client just like I am!”
“Come on, Spencer. I'm not stupid. You're both at BOA all week, and we all travel together.” Spencer looked down a second. “Did you think I warned you against this just to meddle or to control your whole life? No! It was for exactly this reason. You're both new here, but you?” Amy shook her head a little. “I probably shouldn't feed your ego, but you're a next level talent. You're turning heads and threatening the status quo, and that pisses people off. People you care about are going to be targets. I didn't want Marie, or my daughter for that matter.... being dragged into the storm of the waves you're making. I thought you were smart enough to understand that, but apparently you don't have enough blood to run two heads at the same time!”
Spencer laughed. “Wait... is that what you think? You think I'm sleeping with her?”
“Are you?”
“For the record, that's really none of your business. But, no.” Amy crossed her arms, glaring. It was clear she didn't believe him. Spencer pushed himself off the wall and took a deep breath, putting a hand over his chest as he looked her straight in the eyes. “I'm not. I know we bicker a lot but I've never lied to you.” It was the truth for now, anyway. Spencer had hopes that would change, and soon. Amy though saw in his eyes he was being sincere, and backed down.
“Alright. I'm sorry, okay? I'm just upset, I offered to manage Marie, I promised her mom I'd look out for her, and now she's hurt and we don't know how bad, and I don't know how I'm gonna explain this to Lynn.” Amy shook her head, brushing her hair back out of her face, as was her nervous habit.
“That's easy. You don't. Marie is a grown woman, and I'm sure that the legendary Lynn Brewster understands how the business works and that sometimes, people get hurt. This isn't your fault anymore than it's mine. Those assholes are to blame, no one else. You're stressing yourself out way too much, I know that can't be good for you.”
Amy sighed again, her hard and angry expression returning. “You're right, it's not. At all. Maybe you could try not adding to it.”
Spencer started to say something back, but the words were forgotten as the trainers room door opened again and the medic stepped out.
“Ms. Chastaine, we'd like to take Miss Caedes to the hospital to have some tests run.”
“Alright, what do you think-”
“We don't know. That's why we'd like her to go. She's asked Miss Lancaster to ride with her. You're welcome to follow.”
“I will, thank you.”
The medic went back into the room.
“I'm going with you.”
Amy glared at Spencer a second, but the look on his face told her it wasn't the time to start another argument. “Fine.”
The ride to the hospital following the medic transport was silent. Spencer was sure Amy was concerned for Marie, just as much as he was, but he was also grateful she hadn't continued her diatribe. He had been sincere in his concern over Amy's stress levels; he knew stress was a trigger for alcoholics. He hoped that when he exposed the truth about his father, it wouldn't send her into a relapse – Amy had been sober for a few years now. But the concern wasn't enough to stop Spencer from his plans. He'd put it off long enough and now that he'd told someone – Marie – who the man is? He knew he couldn't wait much longer to tell the world, too.
{{Thursday, February 17
Tampa, FL
Breakdown}}
Luckily, Marie had only suffered a stinger rather than a serious injury. The only real issue with that, was there was no way to tell when she would recover. Could be two weeks, could be two months. SCW would allow her to be at shows but she obviously wasn't cleared for action. In Nashville, Spencer got the in-ring moment he was supposed to have in London, speaking as the new United States Champion. He had been pissed in London but in a way it worked out, that his speech ended up taking place in the United States. Christy Matthews had come out, and Spencer expected her to call her shot for a rematch... but she didn't. She just shook his hand and told him to enjoy it while it lasted. Spencer was surprised by this and though maybe he had been wrong about her intentions all along. That would make Amy right... and Spencer was getting tired of all the times he went against Amy only for her to be right in the end. He didn't want her to be right about him and Marie, too – that he was just putting her in danger by being involved with him.
Not that Spencer and Marie were involved... not officially. When not traveling or training, they continued to hang out, she'd even finally let him inside her apartment. They'd had dinner together a few times. Talked about his father more, as Spencer still hadn't decided exactly when to reveal everything. He'd know the moment when it came up. Despite not being 'officially' involved, Spencer and Marie had kissed again, on each of those dinner nights. Things never went further than some light petting, all above the waist. Spencer wasn't very annoyed or frustrated by Marie's hesitance, but curious. He wondered if she simply wanted to move slowly because that was her nature, or if she was... 'inexperienced.' He didn't dare ask, that wouldn't be polite. At least it meant that thus far, Spencer's words to Amy were still the truth.
Despite Amy's concerns to the contrary though, none of that was on Spencer's mind when he was at work. His focus was just fine, as evidenced by his win over Amelia Stone. The woman had tried to put a hurt on his arm, but he was too quick for her and made a quick finish. Afterwards he watched Jaina's match with Tsunami from near the curtain. Martin Howe shoved Jaina into Tsunami, drawing a DQ and costing his son the match. It then appeared as if Tsunami was going to try to hurt Jaina as he did Marie, but Spencer ran out there and got in between them. Not on his watch, just like he said.
Following the match, Amy met the trio backstage as they went through the curtain. Jaina assured her mom she was okay as they made their way to the group's locker room. Amy left the three of them there, saying she had to speak to someone in the office. Spencer knew there was no actual office, she simply meant someone in charge. With the locker room door closed, Jaina headed to the showers, leaving Spencer and Marie alone. She sat on the room's couch, a hand gently rubbing the back of her neck.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah... It just gets a little sore every now and then.”
“Want me to rub it for you?”
Marie glanced at the door to the showers, but nodded anyway. Spencer sat next to her on the couch and reached one hand to the back of her neck, he only needed one for the spot he knew was sore – he'd massaged it for her a few times already since the injury. Marie leaned her head forward with her eyes closed as his hand worked. A few moments passed before Marie spoke.
“I wish Jaina could have won for real, instead of a DQ.”
“So do I, I know she wanted it. But I also knew that just doing the match wasn't gonna be the end of it. I told her so.”
“You ran out there so fast.”
“I wasn't gonna let them hurt someone else. They're trying to cut all three of us off at the knees before we really get started.”
Marie raised her head and pointed at the chair where Spencer had laid his belt. “Didn't slow you down.”
“That's what I told Amy, but she made a good point. Me winning that title just pissed them off. Now they're after you two, to get to me. It's so obvious. They already hurt you, it looked like Tsunami was about to try to hurt Jaina... this is going too far.”
Marie backed away a bit, pulling her neck away from Spencer's hand. “Maybe Amy is right, and we shouldn't spend so much time together.”
“What are you talking about? Did she say something to you?” Spencer's anger started to rise, Amy didn't know when to stop!
“She did warn me about you when I first got here... that's why I asked certain questions in the beginning.” Spencer shook his head. “But no, she didn't say anything recently. I... sort of heard you arguing outside the trainers room in London.” Spencer scoffed, shaking his head again as he looked up. Fucks sake.
“You didn't tell me you heard that.”
“It was a little embarrassing. But... maybe she's right.”
“She was wrong about everything. She assumed... hold up. Is that why you're holding back?”
Marie glanced away for a split second. “Partially.”
“What we do is none of Amy's, or anyone else's, business.” Wait, partially? Spencer decided to let that go, for now.
“It's not about Amy... I don't care what she thinks. It just seems like if we take that step, you'd be even more protective of me than you already are. People would notice... and then I'd be even more of a liability to you. I don't want you to be more worried about me than yourself and end up being the reason you lose what you worked so hard for.”
Spencer rested his hand on her arm. “I'm not gonna let that happen. I'm keeping what I earned, in spite of all of that. I'm making a statement, now, that fucking with people close to me doesn't work to bring me down, so that in the future? No one else bothers to try. I won't let you, or anyone else, get hurt again because of me.”
Marie gave him a placating smile. “I know you mean well by that, but I grew up in this business, and unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Family, friends, lovers... whatever. They're always targets. Whether you like it or not, Amy is right about that. You can't change it.”
Spencer hung his head for a few seconds, he hoped to make a stand and stop people from messing with his friends, but he wasn't going to debate with a woman who knew the business better than he did. “You're probably right. But are you gonna let that get in the way of making the choices you want, for the rest of your life?” Marie said nothing, just looked at him. Spencer could tell she was considering his words. “This business dictated my life before I was even born, because my father walked out my mom and me to chase fame. I'm not gonna let it dictate my life anymore. Having grown up in it, I would have thought you'd feel the same way. We can't let it run our whole lives, Ree.” It was the first time Spencer had called Marie by a shortened version of her name, but it came out so naturally that he didn't realize he said something different until she grinned at it.
“I don't want it to run my life, either. That's why I moved away from my famuily, to do something different than expected. I just-”
“Then don't push me away. Not over this bullshit.”
Marie forces a smirk. “Don't pretend like you wouldn't be fine, there's a plethora of ring crew girls for you to take your pick.” Spencer gave her a surprised questioning look. She knew about Desiree?
“I told you... Amy warned me.”
Spencer shook his head... the fucking nerve of that woman! But, this wasn't the place to complain about Amy's meddling. “I'm done with that girl.”
“And the others? When you go out after shows?” Marie tried to sound facetious, but Spencer could read her eyes. She knew, and she didn't like it. Luckily, he had truth on his side.
“I haven't done that in weeks. Not since I first kissed you.” The truth was, he had gone out that night, it was the night of BHS after he won the United States Championship. But Marie didn't need to know that, and he'd felt so shitty afterwards that he hadn't since.
“Really?” Spencer just nodded. Marie smiled, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Okay.”
“Okay... what?” He asked as he grinned back.
“Okay... maybe it's worth the risk.”
Spencer leaned towards Marie to kiss her again, but the door to the showers opened. Both Spencer and Marie jumped back at the sound of the door, startled. Jaina emerged, hair wet, but damp. Jaina looked back and forth between them, reading the room.
“Um... did I interrupt something? I can go back in...” She pointed her thumb back over her shoulder towards the showers.
“No idea what you're talking about.”
Jaina laughed. “You do know she told me, right?” Spencer glanced at Marie, then back at Jaina. “Don't freak out, I'm the Queen of keeping secrets, believe me.”
Spencer turned to Marie. “What exactly did you tell her?” He tried to keep his tone even, but he was concerned about his Big Secret. Marie grinned.
“Just this.” Marie then leaned in quickly, grabbed his face with both hands and gave him a kiss. When she pulled away, he laughed. Partially amused at her silliness, but partially in relief.
“Just that, huh?” Marie nodded.
“You two are ridiculous.” Jaina laughed. “Adorable, but ridiculous.”
“I for one, would much rather be called handsome, than adorable.”
“I'll take adorable.”
Jaina laughed again. “Okayyy... I'm gonna go find Mom. You can get back to... whatever it was you were doing. Talking about. Whatever.” Marie and Spencer laughed as Jaina pulled her shoes on.
After Jaina left, Marie lightly smacked Spencer's arm. “You really thought I told her about your father?”
“For half a second I wondered. But I know better.”
“You'd better. I wouldn't ever break your trust like that.”
“So kissing and telling is okay?” He smirked. Marie frowned though.
“Should I not have? I mean, she's-”
Spencer put one finger over her mouth, shh-ing her. “It's fine.” Marie smiled under his finger. He removed it. “Now... what exactly did you mean by, 'taking a risk'?” That had stuck in his head since she said it. Professionally, or personally? In the ring, or potentially in bed?
“Oh, you know. Me and you.... Creating targets. Amy's wrath. Getting hurt.”
Spencer was unsure if she meant physically hurt in SCW, or emotionally hurt by getting involved with him, but he also didn't want clarification just yet.
“Amy's wrath is pretty scary. Are you sure about that?”
Marie giggled. “Let's just see what happens.”
“I can do that. Now... where was I?” He reached up and put his hand on the back of her neck again, starting to rub it as before. Marie leaned back into it, closing her eyes again, enjoying it. Spencer smiled to himself at her contentment. In that moment he knew he'd do whatever was necessary to make sure she was never hurt again – no matter what that meant.