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The next morning, Nikki Cross helped Alexa Bliss pack her things and take her to the airport. As they were waiting for the flight to board, Alexa and Nikki were going over plans for Smackdown. “Ok, have you got your schedule for the night?” Alexa asked Nikki then she took a sip of tea for her aching throat.
“Yes, I got it this morning.” Nikki told her, “First a contract signing with Bayley then I have a match with Carmella.”
Alexa gave Nikki a smile, “You can beat Carmella, no problem, but Bayley will try to get into your mind during the signing, don’t let her.”
Nikki nodded, “She won’t be able to, I promise. We’ll beat her on Sunday.”
Alexa smiled as the airport announced that it was time for her to board. “I’ll be home,” She got out of her phone and texted Nikki, “I should be feeling better by Thursday, so you can come over Thursday or Friday. I made sure I texted you my address again, I thought I did before, but with my sinus infected brain, I don’t remember.”
“Thank you. Are you sure you’ll be ok?” Nikki asked, helping Alexa to stand.
“I’ll be good, I’ll be ready for Extreme Rules, Call me after Smackdown, OK?” Alexa told her as they gave each other an arm squeeze, since Alexa didn’t want to get Nikki sick. “See you later.”
“Bye, Alexa.” Nikki said. She watched as Alexa boarded her flight and when the plane took off, Nikki left for Smackdown.
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Smackdown 7/9/2019
Contract Signing Bayley and Nikki Cross
Nikki Cross was announced first as she entered the ring. She shared a look with Kayla, then looked toward the entrance. She sat down and crossed and uncrossed her arms. She smiled evilly awaiting the Smackdown Women’s Champion, Come on Bayley, let’s play! Nikki thought as she heard Bayley’s music.
Bayley sat across Nikki and once again they showed the clip of Bayley attacking Nikki after she won the Beat the Clock challenge. Bayley assured Nikki that she was only here to sign the contract, but pointed out to the crowd that Alexa was missing and then she claimed that she and Nikki were a lot alike.
Nikki gave her a bemused smile as she listened to Bayley’s claim. She heard talk about how she was starstruck initially and how people only came to Bayley when they needed her help. Nikki started to laugh and smile. She picked up her microphone, “Oh, so that, that was the real you?” She pointed to the jumbotron, “that was the real you last night? The person who attacked me, completely unprovoked, good to know, Alexa was right, good to know, Bayley.” Nikki nodded and smiled.
Bayley pointed to Nikki, “Do you hear yourself? Alexa is literally in your head, Nikki. She’s convincing you, she has you out here doing her dirty work for her, every single night.”
“Alexa knows I can handle myself!” Nikki interrupted angrily.
“Nikki, stop! Let me ask you something, are you really ok with this? Are you really ok with helping someone else win a championship?”
Nikki shook her head and grinned angrily at Bayley, “You’ve no idea, no idea!”
“Ok! Fine.” Bayley hung up her hands, “No, know what? You’re a big girl, on Sunday, I understand that I’m at impossible odds because of the two on one handicap match and Nikki, you’re formidable on your own, you don’t need Alexa at your side.” Bayley paused and pointed at Nikki, “But you understand this, on Sunday, I’m bringing everything that I have and I’ll do anything to keep the title.” Bayley stared at Nikki, “So, what will happen, what’s going to happen when Alexa loses and she blames you?” Bayley asks Nikki.
Nikki laughed in disbelief and anger, Seriously, still threatening me with betrayal? She thought but she pointed to the contract, “Sign it. Sign it! Sign that!” Nikki said angrily into the microphone. “I want to help my friend, but you wouldn’t understand anything about that because all your friends abandoned you, Bayley. I’M SICK AND TIRED OF YOU TRYING TO PUT A WEDGE BETWEEN ME AND ALEXA!” Nikki yelled angrily. “SHE’S NOT USING ME!” Nikki pointed at Bayley and the Smackdown Women’s Championship belt, “Alexa promised on Sunday, when we win that match, she’s not gonna hold that championship alone because me and Alexa are gonna become the first ever Smackdown Co Women’s Champions!” Nikki declared signing the contract. “Why don’t you stick around, please stick around for my match with Carmella. Because, Bayley, I’m gonna show you, when it’s time to play…Nikki gets all the fun!” Nikki declared sneering at Bayley.
Carmella vs. Nikki Cross
As soon as the bell rang, Nikki charged Carmella and started her attack. Every once in a while she’d glance back to Bayley, making sure Bayley was watching. At the beginning, Nikki had the momentum and the offense against Carmella. Every time she did a vicious attack, she smiled at Bayley, making sure Bayley was watching.
However, Nikki made an error and Carmella was able to get some offense on Nikki herself. Carmella went for her super kick on Nikki, but Nikki was able to block the kick. She went for her swimming neckbreaker, but Carmella surprised her with a rollup pin. Nikki was able to kick out, she went to charge Carmella. Once again Carmella caught her in a kick and went for her super kick, but Nikki was able to block again. This time she was able to hit her swinging neckbreaker for the pin.
1,2,3!
Nikki stared angrily at Bayley as she pinned Carmella. She got up and crawled over to the ropes, stalking Bayley, stalking her prey. She got to her feet, not taking her eyes off Bayley. Nikki smiled evilly as Nikki climbed up on the rope. Bayley held up her title and kept yelling at Nikki, “Alexa is using you!”
“She’s not! You’re done Bayley! We’re gonna have that title!” Nikki yelled back at Bayley.
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Nikki walked back to the locker and gathered her gear and her things. She pulled out her phone and texted Alexa. “Match is over, I won, I’m getting ready to come back to Florida.” She texted, “If you’re awake and up, I’ll call you.”
Alexa texted back, “Call me in about a half hour.”
“OK .” Nikki replied. She got her things together and headed out to her rental car. She was going to try and get a flight out tonight, if she could. She didn’t want to deal with the women’s locker room, or Bayley anymore tonight…
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Nikki called Alexa on her way to the airport, “Hey, how are you feeling?” She asked when Alexa answered.
“Been resting, been hanging out with Larry Steve.” Alexa answered, “How are you doing?” She asked, “I watched Smackdown and heard and saw what Bayley said.”
Nikki shrugged, “I handled it.” She said nonchalantly, like the words didn’t bother her. “We’ll get her on Sunday.”
Alexa heard the doubt in Nikki’s voice, but was still too sick and tired to press the issue at the moment, so she answered, “And become Co-Women Smackdown Champions.”
Nikki smiled, “I’ll see you in a few days, bye.”
“Bye.” Alexa stared at her phone with a small frown, she’s a little worried about Nikki. Once I’m feeling well, I need to make sure she’s ok and she knows that I have no intentions on betraying her.
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7/11/2019
Nikki arrived at Alexa’s house that Friday afternoon. Alexa greeted her at the door, “Hey.” She looked closely at Nikki’s face, “Are you ok?”
“I’m fine, why?” Nikki smiled as she sat down with Alexa in her living room, “How are you feeling?”
“Pretty much at 100%,” Alexa answered but continued to look at Nikki with concern, “Are you ok?”
Nikki sighed and rubbed her eyes, “Why are you asking?”
“Because it looks like you haven’t slept, Nikki, have you slept this week?” Alexa answered and took Nikki’s hand. “Nikki, if we’re going to be friends and a team, you have to let me in, you have to tell me what’s wrong.”
Nikki looked at Alexa’s hand as she gently squeezed her own hand, “I’m scared to tell you… what if you think I’m weird…or stupid…or..”
“Nikki, look at me, don’t listen to Bayley or anyone else, ok? Nikki, I’m your friend and I need you to be ok. You are important to me.” Alexa told her, “Please tell me why you aren’t sleeping.”
“I have…nightmares, I have nightmares from when Eric Young recruited me into Sanity.” Nikki finally said in a quiet voice.
Alexa sighed, “Was there a choice?” She asked Nikki a little hesitantly.
“Yes, the choice was to survive or be destroyed…” Nikki looked at Alexa, “I survived, but…I had to survive alone for a week and when I emerged, I was…the Nikki you met before Wrestlemania, I was…crazy and feral and trapped in darkness.”
“Nikki, Nikki, I’m so sorry.” Alexa said to Nikki. “That’s what you've been dreaming?”
Nikki nodded, “Yes, but they have morphed, I’m now seeing women in the locker room mixed into the dream, and…Eric, Eric every night comes to me and tells me that you are going to betray and abandon me…” Nikki wiped at her eyes as a tear had fallen, “Just like I abandoned Eric and Sanity.”
“Nikki, you didn’t abandon Sanity, they left, and they walked out without you. That wasn’t your fault.” Alexa assured her, “I promise that it wasn’t your fault.” Alexa reached over and gently wiped away a tear that was trailing down Nikki’s cheek, “How can I help?”
Nikki blinked and wiped her eyes, “Um…wait, what?”
“How can I help you sleep, what can I do?” Alexa asked, “You slept when I came into your room and slept with you.” Alexa reminded her.
Nikki looked down as she fidgeted, “It helped me. I..I couldn’t ask you.”
“I don’t mind, Nikki. I’ll help you, I want to help you, and Sweetie, you need to sleep.”
Nikki looked down and away, “Please don’t hurt me.”
“Nikki, I promise, I won’t hurt you.” Alexa said, pulling Nikki close and hugging her. “Now, I have a few things that I need to do. Do you think you can take a nap? Larry Steve is excellent company.” Alexa said motioning to her pet pig.
Nikki jumped slightly, “You really have a pet pig?”
Alexa smiled, “Yep, try to relax, I’ll be right back, ok?”
Nikki nodded, “Ok.”
Alexa left and went to the WWE performance center offices. She wanted to grab one of her shirts. She grabbed one of the shirts that she knew would fit Nikki. She went to her costume designer, “Will you cut this in Nikki’s style and have it ready for Extreme Rules, please?”
“Sure it’ll be ready in a few hours.”
“Call me when it’s ready.”
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Alexa came back to her home and found Nikki pacing in her living room, “Hey, did you rest?”
Nikki shook her head, “No…I couldn’t, I’m sorry.”
Alexa held out her hand, “Come on.”
Nikki took her hand and let Alexa lead her upstairs to Alexa’s bedroom. “What are you doing?”
Alexa led Nikki to her bed and had her lay down. “You need to sleep.” She reached out and gently ran her fingers through Nikki’s hair. “It’s ok, lay down. I’m here.”
Nikki took a deep breath and laid down. “Please don’t go.”
Alexa smiled at Nikki, “I won’t leave.”
Nikki sighed and closed her eyes, it wasn’t long before Nikki had fallen asleep as Alexa calmed her and ran her fingers through Nikki’s hair. Alexa stayed with Nikki until she fell asleep. She bent forward and kissed Nikki’s forehead, “I won’t betray you.” She whispered her promise to Nikki.