The Legal Problem
He had so much to do. He had friends to help, a house to renovate, children to raise, friendships to keep in focus, but all of it had to wait for this. There are some things in life that are just more important – times where you need to be there for certain people in need to do things and go above and beyond what you would for anyone else.
This was one of those times for Austin. It was a day that he and his sister had both been dreading. A day where they would have to justify their legal battle against the parents of Amy’s ex, the grandparents of her son.
Austin let out a deep sigh, his hands moving up to push the top of his tie towards his collar, pulling down on the shorter thinner part of it. He took a step back and looked at himself in the mirror. He wore a custom tailored black suit, a tie tucked into his suit blazer as he did the buttons at the front. His long hair tied back and kept in a mid level bun and his beard trimmed.
He gave himself a nod, trying to build up his confidence.
But the truth was he didn’t have any. He was going into a courtroom to support his sister, and while she was of a normal size and build, a beautiful girl but also normal looking, Austin was far from normal. Six foot six and a hulking build. Muscles upon muscles. Long hair and a beard with a look in his eye that made most people fear him.
But he made a promise. He turned and looked down at his shoes, the black leather shining as he gave a small smile. His father would’ve loved the shoes, and the suit. All the times that Christian had tried to get Austin to dress up and this was only the second time he could bring himself to do it. First time with his wedding, the day that he and Lisa were joined together as a family. And now this time. A time to support the only other person on earth that really knew what it was like to grow up the way he did. His sister who had gone through so much and made so much progress yet still had been dragged down to a level that was beneath them both.
That was a dark time in her life; a rebellion to reclaim adolescence that she felt she never truly had after being locked away. Amy had gone on her own pilgrimage of self-discovery. She fell in love with the wrong man, and the result of that was the birth of the child. The child that was not brought into the world because of love but a child who was now loved. He had a loving mother, a loving aunt, a loving uncle and cousins ready to grow up with him like they were siblings.
The bathroom door clicked and swung open. Lisa stepped in. Her hair done, wearing a beautiful dress and grabbing a jacket so she would cover up most of her tattoos. A small smile came across her lips as she tilted her head looking at her husband up and down before placing her finger on her bottom lip.
Austin just shook his head and folded his arms over his large chest. ”See something you like?” He couldn’t help but laugh, Lisa blushed and shook her head. A small smile coming across Austin slipped now as he was impressed with his ability to still make his wife look at him like a nervous teenager.
Lisa stepped forward reaching up to check Austin's tie. She stood just under his chin even in her six inch heels. Lisa was a tall woman, but when it came to her husband, she always seemed to be dwarfed by his large frame. Austin leaned forward, planting a kiss on Lisa‘s lips that was meant to be a small moment of affection. Lisa wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pushed herself against him, kissing him deeply.
After a few moments Austin pulled back and smiled.“Unfortunately we have somewhere to be.”
Lisa chuckled and gave her husband a small nod. She turned and left the door before looking over her shoulder one last time. “I know you’re nervous. I get it . I can see it in your eyes. But...Amy needs you today…” Austin sighed hard and bowed his head. A second later, he looked in the mirror one last time as Lisa stepped out of the room.
She was right. He was nervous. He was going into a courtroom, with lawyers and a judge. The person, the people, who were going to hold the future of Amy and her child in their hands. And Austin was expected to be the star character witness when it came to Amy and who she was. He knew all the things that they could bring up, but didn’t know what they would choose to use. Amy’s past had always been something contentious, as it could have been with any massive family. Christian trying to hide what she had done, Austin finding the truth, but Amy not being able to accept it and wanting to grow in her life and have her own outlook.
The past was never the past. It could always come back and hurt you. And that is what Austin was worried about. Her past coming back to hurt her, Amy not being able to have that second chance that she had fought tooth and nail for. That is what Austin had to do. He had to stand there and be honest and tell every single person who would listen and convince them that Amy was not just a suitable mother, but she was an excellent one.
He felt pressure.
Austin closed his eyes taking a long deep breath. He held it in his lungs as his mind flashed backwards and forwards for everything he had done. His own life and his own struggles. Losing his mother, losing his father, fighting for his sister. The alcohol abuse, the abusive ex, everything he had gone through and grown through. He was strong enough to do this.
And he refused to let his sister down.
Godly
”Eenie meenie miney mo, Max Burke tried to beat me that was way too slow.”
Austin can’t help but chuckle to himself. He raises his right hand, moving his hair from his face and sliding it behind his ear before stepping forward and putting his hands in the front pocket of his jeans. A black and red Wolfslair shirt proudly on display.
”I told you all. I told you that as good as Max was, if he wanted to keep climbing that ladder and get back to a World Championship opportunity against Mac, he would have to go through me first. He would have to show me and all of you, as well as management that he was ready to shoulder the possibilities and pressure of being in the Main Event at this company. Not everyone can handle that kind of pressure. I can handle that kind of pressure, Ben Jordan can handle that kind of pressure. Alex can handle that pressure and so can Fenris. And as much as I hate to admit it, Mac has also proven himself as a champion worthy of being the one to hold the entire company on his shoulders.”
“Max Burke was not ready to stand in the spotlight. But the question is still hanging over me like a dark cloud. Where do I go from here? Where does my destiny lie in this company? I could turn my focus towards Mac and work my way up to a single one-on-one opportunity for that world championship. After all, the old adage is that if you are not in professional wrestling to be the champion and prove that you are the best thing…you should not be here.“
“However, I have already been to the top of the mountain. I stood there and watched as everyone was scrambling over themselves trying to get at me. That is another thing that so many people are not prepared for – they are not prepared for the target that you have painted on your back when you are a champion. As a world champion, a mixed tag team champion as well as the Internet champion of this company, I knew what it was to hold those championships and have everyone gunning for me.“
“It is the same everywhere you go. It is easier for you to win a championship that it often is to keep it and if you look at the championship history of Sin City Wrestling, with every single championship, there have been so many names on that list where they did not deserve to be the champion. They didn’t deserve to win it and they prove that by losing it in less than a month or in their first defense.”
Austin folds his arms over his chest with a small smile coming across his lips.
“That hasn’t been my problem. When I have held the championship I have made damn sure that I do that title proud. I did it with the honor championship before I came to this company. When I became the world champion I did everything I could to uphold the quality that those before me had set. I did it with the Internet Championship and I made that championship with something and every single champion who has been held since has failed miserably to live up to my standard. Tempest and I held those mixed tag team championships of pride and tried to face and beat everyone who stepped in front of us.”
“I am what you would call…a beast.“
“Six-six, two-sixty-five. I can move like someone a hundred pounds lighter than me, I can throw anyone in this company around the ring. I am not someone to be taken lightly and I’d like to think that my opponent this week isn’t stupid enough to make that kind of mistake. Ken Davison.”
“A Man who exemplifies the term ‘veteran’.”
“I know you can. I know that you have been a huge name in so many of the companies that you’ve been in. Hell, you were even a very brief tag team partner for Alex.. to say that you have been everywhere and done everything is an understatement. Championships and huge matches and pay-per-view numbers. The whole wrestling world had to you want to play because of how good you are.”
He flashes a smile and a respectful nod. His head tilted to the side as he contemplated what to say next.
”And all the respect that you are given in this company and anywhere else you go is definitely earned. I’m not oblivious to the fact that I cannot and will not take you lightly. I know you could beat me, I might be a lot bigger than you, stronger than younger than you and in this company had more success than you, but I am not going to fall into the same trap that so many others do and discount your past and who you are as a human being and a person. Despite anything you have said and your actions, you are most definitely someone who should be respected.”
“You could be the World Champion here. You are definitely good enough but I don’t think that some of the people in this company give you enough credit. From aligning yourself with Mac to winning the Internet Championship, you have shown your work. However, you are also one of the people who failed to take the Internet Championship and bring it to the heights that I did when I held it.”
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed.”
“That championship holds a special place in my heart. This company announced that it was coming back active and I was the first man to hold it since it was reinstated. I knew that that championship needed a strong champion to push it forward and to make it as our prize and that’s exactly what I did. I had that target on my back and I defended it through anyone and everyone only to watch that championship that was handed to people and get passed around. Then, you won it.”
Austin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath calming himself.
”And for a brief shining moment I thought that the championship was going to be held by someone who would take it on a long run and restore the prestige that I have tried to give it. But, two months later you lost it to Jack Washington. There is no love lost between myself and Jack, despite the fact that he has been the World Champion at this company twice. The truth is he is still the same snot-nosed little disrespectful piece of shit that he’s always been.”
“He doesn’t know the meaning of respect.”
“But I do Ken...”
“I plan on showing you. You see, I’m going to give you the respect that you deserve by walking down to that room punching you in the mouth as hard as I can. I’m going to give you the respect you deserve by treating you exactly the same as I treat everyone else I face. I am coming for the win,I am coming to kick you right in the head, pick you up and powerbomb you to the mat, drive the air from your body so you can’t breathee. And being a veteran I’m going to guess that you felt that before.”
“The feeling of all the air being pushed out of your lungs. Staring up at those lights not being able to breathe in and not being able to feel like you can live. It is a horrible feeling. And it’s one we all have to live with, one being a professional in this business. As good as you are, I need this. And I like you. I do. I like your outlook on the business, I like your ruthless determination and pursuit of greatness. But I like winning more. So at Climax Control, you are gonna see what it’s like to face someone who was one of the most dominant champions this company has ever had. And I hope you’re ready, because you will need to be.”
