Los Angeles, California
Well, if you want to be technical, we're currently in the Los Angeles suburb of Pacific Palisades, California, a neighborhood in the Westside of the city of LA. What? Were you expecting another location? It has been awhile, hasn't it? Not since the match near two years ago when Jamie Dean suffered a defeat at the hands of 'the Mental Rapist' Sean Jackson in a 'Best Two of Three Falls' contest have we been able to pay Mister Dean a visit. Just us. Since his return to the world of professional wrestling, or more specifically, the world of SCW, we've had to share Jamie with the company of a certain Cockney.
Now, now! Get your minds out of the gutter! We are, of course, referring to 'the Cockney King' Mister Ben Jordan, Jamie's good friend and tag team partner, and the man to whom he shares one-half of the SCW World Tag Team Championship with. It was a surprising day indeed when Ben called Jamie out of the blue to see if the interest was there for a return to the six-sided ring. Was the interest there? Of course it was! Jamie had rested well and worked hard to get back to the physical condition he had been in since the broken collarbone he had suffered in his last match with Sean, and had been planning to figure out a way to work himself back into the ring wars so well known in Las Vegas circles. At the time, he had no idea how he was going to do it.
He had thought to ask his, at the time, only friend in wrestling; Amy Marshall, to lend a hand in getting his foot back in the door, or to at least see if Mark Ward and Christian Underwood were still interested in his making a return. Speaking of Christian, that was his other option: to offer 'that boss' a hummer that would have made him forget his own name. Thankfully, before he got the urge to further debase himself, he received that call from Ben.
Ben, a man of whom he was quite familiar with. Not just because of his stunning good looks, but also his exploits inside of the ring. Yet there was also his personality. Although he and Ben, at the time, did not know one another aside from casual conversation during the usual pre-show buffets or post-show congratulations, Ben displayed what kind of a man he was with Jamie, time and again. Despite Jamie's obvious outgoing personality and raunchy exploits, not once did Ben avoid him or act uncomfortable when in his company. Ben, much like Amy, was one of the few who wouldn't think twice about joining Jamie for those meals before a show. So when Ben put out a feeler (pun intended) for a partner to once again help raise the bar in the tag team division, Jamie was only too eager to accept the call and help out a man that made him feel welcome when few others did. From that point on, a casual acquaintance became a cherished friendship.
Jamie was a man that cherished his friendships, having had so very select few throughout his young life. It was a reason why we find ourselves looking into an important slice of his life here. A look into a few days in the past, to commemorate something special that could happen soon in the future.
<img align=right src= "http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x239/GambitPride/fb3d5a0000ba1073c7fb65a689175811.jpg">Brew HaHa
Yes, that's right. That's where we were to find the one we've been speaking of. Surprised? I imagine you are. Usually when we are seeking our Mister Dean in LA, we find ourselves either in his loft home or at the nightclub AKBAR, that he also calls a second job. But not this time. This time Jamie had wanted to talk to those closest to him in a setting that was both comfortable and familiar, so he chose this. Brew HaHa was a coffee house independently owned by his good friend, and Ben's eager number one fan, Kathy Greene. It was a moderately sized but comfortable establishment, more rural in decor than other coffee houses that spanned the city. That was simply Kathy's way in design preference. And unlike many others or the big chains, Kathy did not expand her sales to include CDs and trinkets. Coffee and snacks, that was it. That was what you came for and were given, along with a comfortable atmosphere to relax, do some work, and socialize with friends.
As a boss, she was adored by her employees, hard but fair. So long as they worked, she treated them fairly and rewarded them often. And above all, unlike other employers who believed 'the customer was always right,' she often called bullshit and insisted her employees be treated with the same respect and courtesy that customers sought for themselves. Treat her boys and girls badly and you risk the wrath of the mama bear. It was a reason why the young men and women who worked her shop adored her. Some might think her choices and policies would risk alienating entitled customers, but it had the opposite effect: she had earned a cult following of sorts, especially amongst the gay and college crowd, which kept her business afloat and a relative success.
That was why in the late afternoon hour, Brew HaHa already had a modest sized crowd with some young college kids at work already on laptops and notebooks at the counter with coffee at hand, and others were perched in the corner on the lone sofa, chatting away with friends. But it was the group that was huddled together at the table on the far side of the shop, beneath the one and only painting adorning the wall, that brought us here today.
Jamie Dean sat at the table, along with those closest to him, both in the world of pro wrestling as well as out. of course his tag partner Ben was there, curios as to why Jamie had asked him to spend some time in LA to talk as opposed to heading straight back to Cuba or to Canada for their next show. Amy Marshall sat quietly, wishing it was a beer or hard drink in her hand rather than the coffee everyone else also had in hand. Kathy had tried to insist that the coffees were on the house -- it was simply her way, but Ben had insisted that he pay as it was her business and livelihood. That earned him another hard peck right on the kisser by the otherwise hardened lesbian.
"Quitting." Sandra King repeated with a perplexed frown on her face. "You're serious?"
"I wouldn't have asked you all here to talk to me if I weren't." Jamie answered his 'Ma,' the affectionate nickname given to this woman and Kathy's wife due to her (s)mothering nature. He glanced down at the steaming cup in front of him, his hand clasped around it, and said, "It's something that I've been toying with for some time. Just never really had the nerve or chance to bring it up."
"Are you sure you want to do this sweet pea?" Kathy asked, as Ben and Amy exchanged glances. "You've been working at AKBAR for years. Before you were ever even a wrestler at Can-Am, let alone SCW."
Yes, AKBAR. Calm yourself people! Jamie was not talking about quitting professional wrestling!
"She's not wrong, mate." Ben added, picking up his coffee. He had drawn a few bemused glances when he ordered his drink. Just plain coffee. Who drank that in ANY coffee house!? "It's a fun place to work. Even I enjoyed my one evening there. Great music. Beautiful birds as far as the eye can see."
Kathy winked at him, "Each and every one a carpet muncher."
Ben brought the coffee to his lips and quipped, "Yeah well, that just bloody well makes things more intriguing, doesn't it?" Followed by light hearted laughter from the rest of them gathered around.
"You're going to miss it there. Or at least the people." Sandra said, cupping her chin in her hand and feeling somewhat deflated at this bit of unexpected news. Still, when her "sweet pea" said he needed to talk to everyone, she knew that the news probably wouldn't be something that she'd want to hear. Still, it was better than other possible alternatives. She frowned and then asked, "Or is it just me that's going to miss you?"
"No." Jamie answered with a sincere smile. "I'll miss everyone there. Well, almost everyone." He added, conveniently leaving out the one they all knew he was thinking of. The one that had betrayed him. "But this is something I've had on my mind at wanting to do for a long time. Before that charity event a couple months ago, although that did cement it."
Amy started to ask, "And you...?" When a loud outburst erupted across the cafe and caused heads to turn, including those at their own table.
A disgruntled gentleman, using the word loosely, stood at the counter opposite of Chad Campbell, a young college student that had at one time been one of the many homeless gay teen statistics. He was also one of the few who managed to dig his way free from the streets, thanks in part to Kathy, Sandra and Jamie who each practically adopted him. They took him in under their respective wings, fed and clothed him and gave him a home with Sandra and Kathy. They got him into college, majoring in fashion, and as a means to help him have a little independence, Kathy gave him a job as a barista in her shop.
The man confronting Chad had an air about him that spoke of a haughty sense of self entitlement, used to getting his own way and treating those in the service industry as being 'beneath' him. He held a cup up with one hand and pointed a finger at Chad with the other as he argued, "I don't see what the fuck is so hard about this you dumb little shit! I asked you for an Undertow!"
Chad, never one to back down from a gauntlet being thrown in his face, but knowing this was still Kathy's place of business, tried his best to be diplomatic as he answered back, "But I told you we don't make those."
"Starbucks does it all the time!"
"This isn't Starbucks." Was all Chad had to say which caused the entitled bastard to rear his ugly head and he sneered, "Look you little..." And the name he called Chad was not one suitable for the average promo. It did make Chad flinch, however, and caused the protective nature of Jamie, Sandra and Kathy to bristle.
Kathy turned in her chair and barked, "Hey!" Causing heads to turn back towards her direction. The patron frowned as he looked her up and down and he snarled, "What the hell do you want!?"
"Just to tell you that if you want something that Starbucks makes, then go to Starbucks!" Kathy answered. "That young man there doesn't need to put up with your snotty attitude!"
"Listen bitch!" He answered, and Ben saw the way Sandra's knuckles turned white as she clasped her hands, angered that anyone would call her wife that derogatory name. "Just mind your own fucking business! I know the owner!"
"Oh really?" Kathy scoffed. "Because I sure as shit don't know you!"
The man blinked, unsure of whether or not he had just been caught in the most used lie in the history of the independently owned store. He then rather obviously decided that he didn't care and started to say something further when Kathy again interrupted him.
"So why don't you take your happy little ass out of here?" She then flicked her fingers away in a universal gesture. "Shoo."
No sooner did the man take a single step forward, thus towards Kathy, than did Sandra, Jamie, Ben AND Amy all spring to their feet, ready to intervene before this asshole made a graver mistake by threatening this woman. Discretion being the better part of valor, the man falsely puffed up his chest and turned and stormed out, muttering just loud enough to be heard, "Fuck this place!" And he went to slam the door, but found it was one of those doors that doesn't slam so easily. All the better to make him look the bigger fool as he took his leave.
"Well!" Jamie said as he turned back and sat down once again. "That was entertaining!"
Kathy saw something from off to the side of the shop, as another entered, and she sighed. She said, "If you think that was entertaining, things are about to get awkward."
They all turned their heads, and spotted Jamie's ex, Justin, setting foot inside of the cafe.
"Bloody hell..." Ben muttered, and deservedly so. Jamie had successfully avoided Justin since their fallout in Japan, but the end result was bound to happen sooner or later. Justin looked around, and having seen the object of his intentions, headed on over.
"Jamie..." Justin started to say, but Jamie turned his head to look up at him and the frosty glimmer in his eyes was enough to send a chill down each of their spines. Jamie interrupted him and spoke, "Really? This is getting borderline stalkerish. Seems someone can't take a hint."
"Well it seems someone has spent enough time running away." Justin countered. "All I want to do is talk!"
"I think you said enough in Japan. What did you say again?" Jamie picked up his coffee and leaned back in his chair. "Oh yeah! Ouch! Ow! My face! Please don't hit me again!"
Justin's face colored a soft, red hue at the flush of embarrassment at the memory that Jamie had so easily punked him out with a single shot. He looked away briefly and those at other tables that had taken notice of something further happening, quickly glanced away. Justin then looked back at his ex and tried to offer, "The fact that I didn't call the cops or sue should tell you something."
"Excuse me." Amy frowned, speaking up for her friend before Jamie had a chance to do so for himself. "What part of you is not getting this? He doesn't want to see you. He doesn't want to talk to you."
"I don't think," Justin started to say. "That I was talking to you."
"No." Amy settled back against her chair, waist turned, so she could look at the man who had betrayed her good friend. "But I'm talking to you..."
Justin started, "Jamie..."
"Look..!" Ben was about to also get involved, angry at how someone had turned their backs on his tag partner, and yes, friend, so easily. But before he could, Jamie held a hand up.
"It's okay." Jamie said, starting to stand. "Might as well get this over with."
Justin took a step back as Jamie pushed out his chair and stood up. The two men turned to leave by the door when Ben quickly grasped Jamie's arm. "Mate...?" He said in concern, his brows raised.
"Don't worry." Jamie smiled. "I won't hit him." He shrugged sheepishly. "You know, again."
Ben, Amy, Kathy and Sandra each watched with a concerned eye as Jamie and Justin exited the coffee shop...
Jamie took a number of steps away from Brew HaHa's entrance and took note that the sky was deepening in twilight. The moon was out and the stars were just beginning to show themselves past the city's skyline. Jamie finally turned around, two doors down from Brew HaHa in the Westgate Plaza.
"So," Jamie shrugged, feeling almost immune to the pain that he had felt months ago at this man's betrayal. He stuffed his hands deeply into his pockets, a nervous habit but one that kept him from breaking his word. "You wanted to talk?" He shrugged. "Talk."
"Well you're not exactly making it easy." Justin started to say, and Jamie made a mocking and mournful face.
"Aww! I didn't make things easy for the cheat!"
"Jamie..."
"You played around on me, Justin!" Jamie practically hollered before he could collect himself so as not to draw any more undue attention to either of them than they already had. He looked at a couple walking past, then turned back to Justin and growled through clenched teeth. "The minute my goddamn back was turned! And with that Dominique of all people!"
Justin was by now losing his nerve. Everything he had wanted to or planned to say to Jamie was quickly flying out the window. He shook his head and tried to reason with him, "Jamie, I didn't mean to! It -- it just happened!"
"Oh it just happened?" Jamie frowned in disbelief. "So how did it happen then? What, he tripped and his face fell in your lap? Over and over and over again!?"
"It was ONE time!"
Jamie answered back, "Once is all it takes! I never trusted someone enough to commit to them! But the one time I did try, I get fucked over!"
Justin's arms fell to his side, "And I suppose you never cheated on me, hm? All the times you were on the road with that Ben guy?"
"Right." Jamie nodded. "I'm busting my ass, or getting my ass handed to me. I get back to the hotels, banged up and bruised and OH YEAH! I'm rearing to go! Who the hell did you think I was banging? The hotel porters?"
"Oh I don't know!" Justin said, finally tiring of having his concerns so easily dismissed. "That Ben guy?"
"Ben!?" Jamie looked at him as if he were nuts. "Ben's straight you ignorant jack off! As straight as they come! Hell flying you to Japan was HIS idea!"
"I know that! But even if what you say is true, how the hell was I supposed to know!? As friendly as you two are!? The way your damn eyes light up when his name is mentioned or the way you moon about when he wasn't around!?"
"Shut up..." Jamie started to warn, but Justin ignored him.
"I mean, how the hell do you think it made me feel, knowing every time I loved you, it was Ben Jordan that you were in love with!?"
Jamie looked absolutely incensed, and about to betray his promise, when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He turned his head, then Justin did as well, and what Jamie saw caused his stomach to turn and his tanned flesh to pale. Ben was standing at the door to Brew HaHa's, looking at them. It was pretty obvious that Ben had heard everything.
Every. Word.
Jamie turned to Justin and muttered, "Son of a bitch..." and before anything further could be said, Jamie turned and walked away. Ben called out, "Jamie, mate!" And he came hurrying after his friend, pausing just long enough at Justin who at least had the good grace to look ashamed.
"Nice going Twinkerbell." Ben chastised Justin with before he picked up his pace, trying to catch up with his friend.
Jamie sat out on the balcony of his loft apartment, three stories up from the ground floor, looking out over the neighborhood that he called him. A beer in his hand, he leaned back in his chair with a stoic expression on his face as he looked out on -- absolutely nothing. Oh there was life going on in the city at night. Cars went by on the streets below. The sound of laughter from people somewhere down there. friends and family heading to and fro to have fun and make an evening out for themselves, but Jamie? He was in on none of that. The evening had been going along smoothly enough, letting his friends in on some of his immediate plans for the future, when everything after that came crashing and burning down around him.
All because Justin had a better eye for things around him than Jamie gave him credit for. He also had a big mouth but let's not discuss his more positive attributes. We were made at him, after all.
Now? Now everything had been crushed. All of Jamie's hopes and plans. Jamie's current career as an SCW Tag Team Champion. Most importantly -- a friendship.
That was when Jamie's self morose mood was cut short when he heard the door to his loft open and he glanced up sharply. He looked around in through the window when he heard a familiar and accented voice call out from inside...
"Jamie? Oy! You in here you plonker!?"
Jamie closed his eyes and exhaled sharply through his nose. Shit. Ben. This was not a conversation that he was prepared to have with everything else that was going down -- pun not intended. But here he was, cornered on his balcony with nowhere to go but down -- and that wasn't an option! Well, whatever was to be, would be. Good or bad, and nothing good could come from what had just happened.
"Out here!" Jamie called, beckoning to his friend to come and signify what would probably, undoubtedly, be the end of their friendship. Only a few moments later, Ben looked through the large window that led to the balcony and stuck his head through, looking first left and then right.
"Bloody hell!" Ben exclaimed. "All the times I crashed here and you never told me you had a place to sit outside?"
"How did you get in the loft?"
"You gave me a key, genius." Ben answered with a frown. "Remember? In case I was in town and needed a place to crash and you were out?"
That being said, Ben carefully stepped out through the frame of the window and stood on the deck, looking first out into the night life that was spread out before him as far as the eye could see. He admitted aloud, "I can see why you like it here." He then looked down at his friend and shook his head, "Sandra told me to give you this message." And he promptly swatted Jamie hard upside of the head, almost knocking him forward and out of his chair!
"Ow!" Jamie yelped, grabbing his chair to keep from falling out of it. Say what you would about Ben but he had some serious natural strength to him. He rubbed his stinging head tenderly but before he could bring his beer up to take a drink, it was removed from his hand by Ben who pulled up the only other chair and had a seat himself.
"Be grateful I delivered her message." Ben said as he took a pull from the bottle. "Amy had a harsher one for you walking out on us like that."
"Fine. Acknowledged." Jamie mumbled. "I'll send them all a fruit or muffin basket if that makes amends. Just get it over with."
Ben asked, "Get what over with?"
"Our friendship." Jamie answered as he leaned over to a cooler at his side and pulled out another beer from the iced chest. he popped the cap off and continued with a shrug, "Or the partnership. Or both. Whatever. Just don't..." But as he went to take a drink, he was hit upside of the head again! "Son of a...!"
"End our partnership?" Ben looked at him, and his usual mellow, happy go lucky smile had completely faded and in its place was one of stone cold seriousness and a hint of disappointment. "Drop the titles? End our bloody friendship!? Is that how much confidence you have in me as a man and a friend!?"
"Look!" Jamie turned to Ben and said, "I know how this works! It's been the same every single time I've ever made a friend that just so happened to be a straight man! It doesn't last!!" He turned back and had a drink before he went on, "They never do. This time..." He sighed. "This time I just admit you have a better reason for it not to." A shrug and, "Can't exactly fault you."
"God you're a pretentious wanker!" Ben openly scoffed as he turned back away from Jamie, amazed at what he was hearing, but only for a moment. He wasn't about to let Jamie off the hook so easily and he turned back and said, "You have seriously lost the plot son, if you think that's what's happening here! Besides..." He sat back and made himself comfortable, gazing out into the night. "... Justin didn't say anything that I didn't already know."
That captured Jamie's undivided attention and he turned with a frown of astonishment on his face and Ben knew he had him and smiled.
Ben said, "Seriously. You've known me awhile. I pride myself on being a people person. Not just because I get along with people, but I like to think of myself as a fairly good judge of character. I can read them." He took a drink. "And I notice things -- and accept them."
"Ben..." Jamie started to speak up but Ben cut him off.
"Save it. Simple fact is, I might like to think of myself as a somewhat attractive bloke..." Jamie turned his head and gave Ben an incredulous look at what had to be the understatement of the Millennium. Ben smiled, knowing without looking at him what Jamie's reaction would be but he went on with what he was saying, "And the fact is, you're into blokes. If you weren't into me...?" He shrugged. "I'd think you done and gone barmy."
"So... you're not like, completely weirded out?" Jamie voiced his concern finally. "Because this is the first good friendship that I've ever had with a straight guy. My only friendship really. Most others get sensitive over the least little thing and bam! Friendship is gone."
"Like copping a feel on another bloke's bollocks?" Ben smiled.
"I know, right?" Jamie shook his head.
"By the way, that wasn't an invite." Ben quipped. "And I am not most fellas." He leaned over and held out his beer bottle. "Nothing changes. Deal?"
"Deal." Jamie smiled, content that Ben was what he said he was, a true friend. He extended his own bottle and they clinked glass before they leaned back and relaxed under the cool, LA night.
"Hey Ben?"
"Hm?"
"Hold me?"
"Feck off."
"Well, this week has been quite a ride! First, let me go on record and congratulate James Tuscini and Dmitri for the win they scored against Team BJ, Ben Jordan and myself. I wasn't expecting it. Ben wasn't expecting it. The fans weren't expecting it. And despite any bravado between us, I have a feeling that you weren't expecting it either. But shoddy calls aside, you got the win over the World Tag Team Champions, and if all goes well, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again real soon with the gold on the line."
"But that's both in the past, and in the future. For now, I'd like to focus on what is directly in front of me, and that's a Fatal Fourway that, I imagine in the minds of the bosses, is supposed to get the other three men and myself ready for the championship match at Violent Conduct III. hey if that's the plan, then I'll be happy to go along with it! When was the last time you heard Jamie Dean utter the word 'no'?"
"Now the one undisputable fact here is that Ben and I hold wins over two of the three men in this match, in tag team action. The one we haven't, the Surf Boys, is mainly because we haven't had the honor or the chance as of yet. All in due time! For now, it's not the teams but the individuals. Both of the Surfers are a pair of fun loving dudes, guys who Ben and I have hung out with for a beer a time or two. But now it's inside of the ring and like me, Radical? You won't have the luxury of having your partner waiting for the tag out on the apron. The key difference is that I wasn't always a tag team wrestler. When I first started here in SCW, it was singles and only singles. You can't say the same. How many times have you been in a singles match, or a match where Narly wasn't your partner? Once at the most? I've got the edge where that is concerned, and the edge of being the only champion inside of the ring for this match. I am not going to go into Violent Conduct III with a loss edging Ben and myself out of any momentum. This one is mine, even if it is at the expense of a bro."
"Now Samuel McPherson has shown himself to be perfectly capable of surviving in the ring without Lord Raab holding him back. The difference is, is that isn't what he wants. Which is fine! I can understand wanting to have the love and support there always, but after a time, that very dependence becomes a crutch and a crutch will inevitably fall out from under you. Or it has to be set aside so that you can prove that you don't need it in order to get better. Your greatest claim to fame so far Sammy? The fact that you scored the biggest upset win of your life when you got a pinfall win over my partner, Ben, in one on one action. But let's call that for what it was: a fluke. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place, and you won't be scoring a win against the other half of the Tag Team Champions. I'd say you were going down, but that was probably a given considering how Raab will need to be consoling you later on. Yeeeeeep!"
"And now to the fourth, last, and certainly not least. Jon Dough. A man that I am familiar with as a buddy and an opponent. At least, I hope that you would honor me by allowing me to see you as more than an opponent, but as a friend. Your manager, Master Lily? Very classy woman, and a pleasure to know. And you? Mysterious, quiet, and tough as nails when it comes to trying to best inside of the ring. You and I had met long before the tag titles were ever around my waist, back when I first made my journey into SCW. Remember? I won back then, and even though I will offer my hand to you in sportsmanship this weekend, I will beat you again. I have to. If for no other reason than to prove to myself that I can. You and Eyesnsane took Ben and myself to the absolute limits in our two championship matches. Will the third time be the charm? Unfortunately for you, the answer is no."
"Good luck this weekend gents! This Sunday you're all going down on, er, to -- Jamie Dean 'the Sausage King'!"</color>
