Monte Christopher stood outside of Sam Marlowe’s house, his one hand raised to knock, his other holding a bag from a local grocery with a small paper wrapped bouquet of flowers. Whistling softly, his knuckles connect with the solid wood of the door. After a moment, the portal is opened by a rather annoyed and pale Samantha Marlowe who widens the door to allow him to enter. She turns without saying a word and stalks back towards the living room. Monte comes inside and shuts the door, a confused look on his face as he sets down the bag that had been in his arm and follows her.
“Sam sweetheart, are you ok?” he asks the redhead who slowly crawls back into the nest of blankets on the couch. Moving to sit beside her, he is taken aback by the glare levelled at him. “Whoa, what has got you in a mood?”
Sam’s voice is pitched low and vibrates with suppressed annoyance.
“You sold me out,” she says. “You told Jamie about the fact that I was laid up and that my doctor prescribed me bed rest!” she exclaims in a rather tight voice.
“Well I figured that you would listen to him,” answers Monte with a smile. “Considering that you were not listening to your doctor or me. I would have gotten that Ben to help too but I couldn’t remember his twitter handle or email. What’s the big deal Sam?”
“The big deal Montgomery is that Jamie and Ben didn’t know,” responds Sam, the use of his full name causing him to cringe. “I don’t tell Jamie or Ben or anyone for that matter how bad things are with me,” she adds. “They don’t have to worry about me because I tend to take care of myself. They have too much going on in their lives to have to worry about mine. Besides, I don’t like to share things like that.”
Samantha snuggles deeper into the blankets as if they were some kind of protective shield. Monte tilts his head at Sam’s comments. “You are telling me that you never told Jamie or Ben, your friends, how sick you were and are? Hell Sam that is not something that you keep to yourself.”
Sam turns her eyes towards Monte and raises one eyebrow. “I may not have told them but also, they didn’t ask. So why share it huh? Besides, I am getting better and I should be out of bed but thanks to you, I have to stay in it for today because Jamie is threatening to use the info you gave him to let my doctor know that I am ignoring his advice. Thanks Monte!” she huffs.
Holding his hands up in surrender, Monte manages to shoot an apologetic look at Sam. “Well sorry for caring. I mean what else was I supposed to do when the girl I am dating is out to make herself more ill than she already is. When I found you the other day it didn’t look too good for you. And a stay in the hospital wasn’t on your list of priorities I suppose either. And from what I am gathering, there is going to be a night when you are booked for a match and will need to get ready for it. So take the one more day of bedrest, enjoy it because knowing you, when they book you, you are going to kick your own butt training for whoever they put you in the ring with.”
Sam grumbles but doesn’t argue with Monte. He smiles softly as one hand moves to caress along a faintly fevered cheek. “I am going to the kitchen and I am going to cook you up a Christopher family recipe for making people well again. And you are going to sit here and you are going to relax or I am going to call Jamie and have him give you the whatfor.”
Sam can’t help but giggle as Monte begins to wag his finger at her. “Okay okay, you win for now. I am relaxing on the couch but you won’t stop me from beginning training tomorrow. I already made a call to Vixen and she said I could head over to the Dungeon and train,” she says.
“As long as you take it easy missy,” Monte replies.
“Oh I will,” promises Sam, her fingers tangled in her lap.
Monte leans over and gently places his lips against the red curls teasing at her forehead. “That’s my girl,” he says before standing and heading towards the kitchen living Sam to relax in the living room.
<img src=http://i67.tinypic.com/25in71h.jpg>
Two days later, Sam can be seen in the ring of the Staggs Dungeon with Vixen on the outside calling out to the redhead who is practicing bumps on the mat. One final bump leaves a now sweaty and tired Sam in a heap on the canvas as Vixen rolls into the ring and walks towards her.
“Okay kiddo,” offers Vixen as she holds out a hand towards Sam. “From what you told me, you are in no shape to be going this hard,” adds Vixen once Sam grabs her hand and moves to a sitting position. “Now, I want you to tell me what is what and don’t think you can hide anything from me.”
Sam sighs as she rests her arms on her upturned knees. “I need to get back into fighting shape because this week I have finally been booked again and it is against Mercedes Vargas and this woman is tough…double tough. She beat me and put an end to my first title reign. Since then…I don’t know I feel like I have to prove something,” says Sam as she looks at Vixen, a mixture of sadness and determination on her face.
“I remember you told me that she beat you because you lost your focus on her and put it on Crystal Millar. And you won the title back again,” says Vixen as she kneels down on a level with Sam. “Granted you lost again but to Crystal Millar but don’t ever let me hear you doubting your ability. Hell, if you only knew how many matches I went through to earn the titles I did. So what you have to prove that you belong in that ring and at that level. If you have any doubts about it, you have to remember, you have done some pretty amazing things yourself.”
Sam smiles and looks as if she is contemplating Vixen’s last comment. “You’re right you know. I have done some pretty amazing things,” teases Sam as she gets to her feet.
“Don’t get cocky,” warns Vixen who straightens and moves to the ropes. “So, tell me where you have the show this week.”
“It’s in Toronto,” says Sam as she joins Vixen at the ropes.
Vixen shoots Sam a look of surprise as she sits on the middle rope to allow Sam to exit the ring. “Toronto you say? This weekend? Were you able to find a place to stay at all?” asks Vixen.
Sam shakes her head. “I’ve tried a couple of places but everything seem to be booked up or so far away from the venue that I guess I am flying up that day and then flying back that night. Which sucks because it would mean I won’t have time to relax or anything that day.”
Vixen gives Sam a look then jumping off the apron of the ring, she heads to the office and pulls out a small ring of keys, flipping through them until she comes to one that is on an Ottawa Ontario keychain. Turning back to Sam, she holds it out.
“You are welcome to stay at my place,” offers Vixen with a smile.
“But Vixen, you live in Vegas?” begins Sam only to be interrupted by the other woman.
“I kept my condo in Ottawa as well as the farmhouse we have. Since Devlin got his own place, you are more than welcome to stay there. And why not make it a vacation for you and stay there til Violent Conduct is over. That way, you got a place to stay near Toronto that flying in and out of is a breeze. And you can spend the next two weeks in Ottawa preparing for the supercard if they give you a match there.”
Sam look surprised at Vixen then hugs her trainer. “Thanks Vixen, I think I might take you up on that.”
Vixen hugs her back then steps back slightly, her hands still on Sam’s shoulder. “You have to promise me one thing…I am going to make you an appointment to see Guertin, an old army buddy of mine. He’s going to help you train once you are up there. Treat him like you would treat me and the two of you will get along great. But tell him that I told you to tell him to go easy or I will be up to kick his derriere once more.”
Sam can’t help but laugh at that but Vixen’s face shows that she is serious. Sam takes the offered keys and takes them to her bag to attach them to her keychain. The scene fades out on Vixen and Sam moving back into the gym toward the ring discussing strategy.
<img src=http://i67.tinypic.com/25in71h.jpg>
Sam Marlowe is LIVE:
Mercedes, here I am in Ottawa Ontario Canada and I am getting ready to head to Toronto this weekend to face you one on one in the ring. Now I know that you and I have had our matches and ups and downs but it is and always has been about giving the fans the matches they deserve. Hell I have a lot of respect for you and I know that you are very capable of kicking my rear end when push comes to shove. But you also respect the fact that I could very well do the same to you.
You have seen what I am capable of in the ring. You have even said that I am no fluke when it comes to what happens in the ring. I have done things in the last thirteen months that some people have yet to say they have done. I have won titles in that one year that have taken other women years to win if they had even won them at all. We both know that you are the one that can quote match and verse of every Climax Control and supercard like some kind of A&E documentary.
And I have to say that I appreciate the fact that you respect me and my capabilities in that ring. After all you have stepped into the ring and seen me lose focus and a title to you. You have seen me beat you and another woman for the Bombshell title. And you have seen me lose that title twice. So no one knows better just what can happen in that ring.
But Mercedes, I also have to remind you of something else. Win lose or draw in that match, I am not going to be anything but me in that ring and we both know that when I set my mind to it, I can be damn dangerous in the ring.
So before we meet at Climax Control I have three things to say to you…
Number one, I respect the hell out of you. You are someone that I consider it an honor to step into the ring with and put a show on for the fans.
Number two, I am gonna apologize now for anything that happens in that ring on Sunday. I am fighting to prove that I deserve to be in the upper ranks of the bombshells and if that means beating the living hell out of you or else, I am willing to deliver that beating any time or anywhere.
And finally number three, this match is going to be another one for the ages between you and me and I want to give the fans closure on just who is going to be the better woman.
So good luck Mercedes, and be prepared because I am going to be walking out of Toronto a winner.
End transmission
