“Anything that comes upon me with this intensity, I experience as numinous, no matter whether I call it divine or devilish… Or just fate.”

– Carl Jung

After the last Synergy, Rogan had invited Lucy to spend some more time with him down in the gulf. The thought was tempting, to say the least. But she didn’t want to wear out her welcome, and she knew deep down in the back of her mind that she didn’t want to get too… attached.

So she begrudgingly dragged her ass back to the deep woods of western Maryland. Not that that was a bad thing, per se – The house she’d missed for so long was hers again. It didn’t feel right to her to shirk the responsibilities of that house to Morrie – even though he’d take them happily – But Morrie was only a caretaker for someone who’s now dead.

Now? She wasn’t even sure what Morrie was; except desperate to maintain that connection to CJ in whatever way he could.

But the point remained, this house was hers now.

The home that used to be a vessel holding all her fondest memories was now an empty reminder of what was and an ever-present reminder of everything that’s changed in the years since.

Lucy had always known the house was haunted. From the moment that she and CJ set foot inside it for the first time, they’d both felt a presence that they couldn’t explain. Nothing that ever felt menacing, or bad.. Just something that wanted to make its presence known. And that’s exactly what it did.

A frigid breeze that’d make a chill run down their spines, the shadows – darker than dark – seen out of the corners of their eyes when they weren’t expecting it. The soft padding of footsteps up and down the hallways late at night when they both knew that no one else was there, or items that were put down in one location, mysteriously disappearing for days and then turning up in a completely different place.

All of those things only strengthened Lucy’s love for the old farmhouse, but now she can sense another presence when she’s within those walls… One that she knew and loved in life… Instead of feeling comforted, she only felt anxious.

CJ always said that when he died, he’d add himself to the collection of spirits that prattled about this old farmhouse. That thought had come to Lucy’s mind many, many times since she’d moved back here, but on this day it was at the forefront of her mind as she sat in CJ’s study, staring blankly at the hospital bed that her ex-husband was confined to for the final years of his life.

Presumably since that fateful night at Outlast all those years ago.

She sighed softly and turned her attention to the walls, lined with books, and CJ’s desk – the very same desk that he’d signed his UGWC contract on. The memories flood back into her mind, filling her up with regret, sadness, anger…

So many feelings, but no way to reconcile any of it for her. Much of it was negative, at least the things she thought about first. The moments that helped change things into what they are today.

If he wouldn’t have secretly signed with UGWC, maybe he’d be alive right now. Maybe she wouldn’t be fumbling about, trying to find her way. If he wouldn’t have hid little Riku from her, maybe they could have had that family that Lucy had always quietly wanted.

Maybe if he’d given her the impression that she was important to his life, maybe she wouldn’t have left it.

All Lucy wanted was to feel important to anyone, and not like she was second fiddle to a championship belt or an accolade.

Even with all that negativity, still she wondered if things could have been different.

And if they could have been different… would she have even wanted them to change?

No fate but what we make.

She smiled softly at the thought of her tag team partner, and how much the Dark Man had changed her perception. For the first time in a long time, she truly felt like she had a partner. She’d bet her money on losing hand after losing hand for what felt like eternity now, but it felt nice to finally hit a jackpot.

And that’s what he was.

Lucy glanced up just as the door to the study opened and Morrie peeked his head inside, his eyebrows arched in surprise.

“Well, I certainly didn’t expect to find you in here.”

He said softly, stealing a glance at the vacant hospital bed. Lucy followed his gaze and let out a sigh.

“I don’t really know what drew me in here today… But here I am. Come on in, have a seat.”

She replied, motioning for Morrie to join her within the confines of the room. But Morrie hesitated, shaking his head.

“Really?”

Lucy shrugged her shoulders.

“Why not? I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I know I’ve been spending a lot of time away from here but we both know I’ve had a hard time adjusting to being here again, especially now that–”

She pointed at the empty hospital bed.

“–You know. I’m not gonna be here forever though. I’ve already made my mind up in that sense.. But while I am here, I wanna know about him… I wanna know what he was like before he…”

“Before he died.”

Morrie nodded his head solemnly. Lucy knew how difficult a lot of this was for her, but she couldn’t really imagine how it felt for this old man. Finally, after an extended silence, Morrie lightly slapped his hands on his knees and looked up into Lucy’s eyes.

“Okay, well, what do you want to know, Miss Wylde?”

Lucy wasn’t really sure how to answer.

“I don’t really know. Just tell me about him…”

Morrie sat up a bit straighter, his face contorting as he thought about the details he thought Lucy would want to know.

“He was a tormented man, Miss Wylde. But I think you already knew that.”

“But why?”

She asked, bringing her eyes up to meet Morrie’s.  She honestly couldn’t fathom why, after everything he’d done and everything that happened between the two of them that he’d allow himself to be tortured for his remaining years.   In watching CJ’s former caretaker as he sat across from her, she could see the man asked the same questions but like her, he didn’t have the answers either.  He shrugged his shoulders. 

“The only way to know the real answer to that question would be to ask him yourself, but… We know that’s not really possible. My guess is that he realized what he’d lost.. And he regretted that very deeply. So he wanted to do what he could.. To do what was best for the thing that meant the most to him.”

Lucy felt the heat rising to her cheeks as she thought about the letter that she’d gotten just after his death. It said as much as Morrie was saying now, but hearing it just hit her differently. Especially sitting here, in the very room he died in with the man she’d assumed was there for his very last breath.

“Was he.. In pain?”

“I’d venture to say that yes, he was. Immeasurably so. But CJ had good days and he had bad days… Towards the end there were more bad than good, however.”

She looked down at her hands, and the piece of paper she’d been holding there this entire time. The letter. She held it up so that Morrie could see.

“Did he–”

“Did he write that? Yes, I couldn’t possibly replicate that chicken scratch..”

Morrie replied with a soft chuckle as he scratched at his chin.

“He couldn’t do much, Miss Wylde, but with what limited movement he had in his right hand…”

He motioned towards the paper.

“Well, you see the results.”

“Yeah.”

Lucy whispered, bringing the worn, folded piece of paper back down into her lap as silence settled between them. Heavy and uncomfortable as it was, neither of them really knew what else to say. Lucy had wanted to know the details of CJ’s life, or lack there of… But now she wasn’t so sure.

What about the day it happened, Lucy…

Her head shot up and she looked around the room, her eyes settling on Morrie as the thought he’d said something, only to realize that the old man was fiddling with one of the wires that was still hanging from the foot of CJ’s hospital bed, completely lost in his own thoughts.

But she’d heard a voice, she swore it.

What about the day I died?

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she shivered. The air around her was ice cold and felt like it was almost charged with electricity. She shook her head.

“What about… What about the day he died? What happened?”

Morrie’s face went from quiet contemplation to sadness as the words came from Lucy’s mouth.

“Well, CJ had been in a coma for… I’m not quite sure anymore.. A few days? Weeks? But he’d already had his will made out and I think we both knew it was coming eventually… CJ had very specific things he wanted to happen, so we made sure that’s exactly what happened. And then… Well…”

He coughed and shook his head.

“Then Maggie turned off his life support and he went peacefully.”

His final sentence hit Lucy as if she’d been hit by a bus.

“Maggie pulled the plug?!”

 

Rogan stood outside Lucy’s home in Maryland. It was raining and dreary. He glanced at his surroundings curiously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. When she opened the door, it startled him.

He was brought out of his curiosity and turned quickly. He wondered if she noticed that she made the Dark Man jump.

“Hey, Rogan! Come on in.”

He obliged, stepping in. He hesitated as his eye caught something at the side of the house. Had he seen something move?

No, probably just a little woodland critter.

He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He couldn’t help but feel the instant discomfort when he shut the door, however. He looked around and heard Lucy chuckle.

“You gonna stay by the door the whole time, or…?”

He smiled, though it was a bit forced, and began to walk through the house. He tried to stay close to Lucy. There was something here that felt unwelcoming to him.

His mind drifted, going all the way back to 2017’s Outlast event. He had been drafted by Killian King. So had CJ Wylde. They were teammates that night. Rogan was so focused on the World Championship, he didn’t notice what was going on behind him.

Is that true though, Dark Man?

Rogan stopped. He felt his heart rate increase slightly, faintly aware of the thumping in his chest. He looked around slowly, but didn’t see anything… or anyone.

Well, was it true? The voice, whether it was in his head or in this house, asked a valid question.

He thought back, his brow furrowed. He couldn’t think of any good reason why he would just leave him to get beaten the way Ichabod…

“Ichabod.”

He whispered it quietly. Or, he thought he did.

“Hmm?”

Lucy had turned to acknowledge him. Rogan waved a dismissive hand.

“Nothing, just admiring your home to myself is all.”

He offered a smile, and Lucy looked at him suspiciously. She wasn’t buying it. He was deep in thought and it was obvious. He took in a deep breath of air and exhaled, slipping his jacket off. Beads of sweat began forming on his forehead.

“Rogan?  Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit warm.”

“Really?”

She looked confused at first, and then concerned.

“Are you getting sick?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. I just feel weird, I guess.”

And he did feel weird. He felt himself starting to get dizzy, and sudden fear washed over him as he found himself frozen, unable to move. He tried not to let it show, but his thoughts began to stammer in his mind. He blinked a few times, shaking his head.

“I think maybe I just need to run some cold water on my wrists.”

“Oh, well let me show you where the bathroom is.”

He managed to move then, following Lucy to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and ran water over his wrists, taking deep breaths as he held his head down.

“Holy fuck, what just happened?”

His voice was shaky.

It seems you’re having a panic attack.

Instinctively, Rogan’s eyes shot up into the mirror. He could see behind him, CJ Wylde’s rotting smile grinning at him. Rogan yelped and turned quickly.

But no one was there.

There was a knock at the door.

“Rogan? Are you okay?”

He started to answer, his voice cracking a little, before he composed himself.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I just got hot. I’m okay though.”

He opened the door and stepped out. Lucy offered a hand.

“Take the hand that took the world?”

She offered, smiling gently.

“I believe you have a few of the letters mixed up, Ms. Wylde.”

But he took her hand anyway, returning the smile. The anxiety didn’t disappear completely, but it softened as they ventured deeper into the house.

“Beautiful home. I like it.”

Rogan managed. Lucy eyed him.

“No you don’t.”

He straightened up, trying to find a response.

“But it’s okay. I get it. There’s something unsettling about this house. I’ve always felt it. CJ felt it. You… feel it.”

She chuckled and Rogan felt his cheeks flush at the mention of CJ. Or maybe it was the feeling that the Dark Man was being haunted, rather than being the haunter. He didn’t want to tell her that it was actually her dead husband who was making it unsettling.

“You would think that I wouldn’t get spooked by such things,”

Rogan joked. They entered the living room and Rogan looked around, taking in the pictures of Lucy and CJ’s wedding day. Goosebumps covered his arms.

What are your intentions, Dark Man?

CJ was suddenly standing next to Rogan, hands clasped in front of him. The Dark Man found himself stepping backwards, much to his own surprise. CJ glared at him, grinning… just like Rogan does.

“N-nothing,”

Rogan said quietly.

“What?”

Lucy turned to him and, as quickly as he had appeared, CJ disappeared. His eyes seemed to linger, either in the room, or in Rogan’s mind. She eyed him up for a few seconds and sighed.

“Do you need a drink? I’m gonna get you a drink…”

Before he could respond, Lucy was gone but he could hear her moving about in what he assumed was the kitchen. There was a part of him that wanted to follow her, but she already thought something was going on and that would only further that conclusion. He had to calm himself.

But how could he do that when he kept seeing… A ghost? He chose instead to fill the silence.

“So… how do you sleep here? If it’s as unsettling as you say, I mean.”

“It used to be pretty easy, actually.”

Lucy said, startling him as she reentered the room holding a glass of water. She gave it to him and moved to sit down on the couch in the center of the room.

“I’m the one that picked this house, way back when. But back then, the presence we felt wasn’t this… unsettling. It was just there, letting us know it was there. Now? Now things are different.”

Rogan nodded, taking a drink of his water and sitting next to her.

“I imagine so.”

He gulped another drink.

“Ahh. What’s the strangest thing you’ve experienced here?”

He started to clasp his hands with interest, but remembered CJ was doing it. He could actually see the worms falling from the rotted holes in his face. He shuddered. He already knew the strangest thing he’s experienced here.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know. I guess if I had to pick something, it wouldn’t be anything paranormal.”

She sighed.

“Years ago, CJ was diagnosed with lung cancer. It turned out to be a misdiagnosis, but we didn’t know that until… Well, okay…”

She was stumbling over her words as she looked around the room, wringing her hands out in her lap anxiously.

“Let me start over. CJ didn’t want me to be here when he died. He kept telling me that I should go and move on with my life, and not worry about what was going to happen to him. But I refused. I loved him, you know? I was gonna be there, sickness and health, all that bullshit.. So I went out to do some errands one day, came home like usual… But when I walked into the house, something felt different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but when I walked into the living room.. In here, there CJ was with some bitch on top of him…”

Retelling the story as she sits on the very couch that she found him on that fateful day makes her angry, but she tries to hide it as she continues while Rogan stares at her with interest. It’s almost like the Dark Man knows he’s listening to the beginning of the story he’s most wanted to hear since that night in the Waystation by the fire.

“I lost it. How could he? After everything we’d been through.. As it turns out, he faked the entire thing just to get me to leave. Like he said, he didn’t want me there when he died, but what he created in doing so was so much more horrible. And maybe that’s not strange per se, but… The aftermath sure was.”

She finishes, shaking her head as the air around her gets chilly once again. Regardless though, she felt the heat rising to her cheeks as she turned away from her partner and continued shaking her head as silence settled in the room.

“I guess I never really asked, despite us being friends. But… I’m glad you told me.”

“You’ve already heard this story before, just not from me…”

Lucy said as Rogan leaned forward with his elbows propped on his knees. His eyes scanned the room again, and he smiled as he fixated on one of the pictures.

“I wouldn’t know what any of that was like, I don’t suppose. But, I imagine it was… and still is… hard to go through.”

He thought to put a comforting hand on hers, but thought better of it. He didn’t see any reason to provoke the ghost anymore than he already had. Lucy shivered and stood up, tired of feeling the presence in the room of the man who’d given her such negative memories.

“Eh, I like to believe I’ve moved on… That is until I came back here. It’s hard to keep moving on when you’re living in a time capsule of a life you had to leave behind. Sometimes I wonder why I don’t take you up on your offers more often.”

She finishes with a chuckle and when he looks up at her, surprisingly enough she’s smiling.

“You wanna get ready to head out? I know we gotta get there for that interview and maybe we can just make a weekend of it, you know before the show.”

She asks, shrugging her shoulders. She was doing her best to ignore the swirling mass of cold air that seemed to be circling her as she stood there in front of her partner. Rogan looked up at her and smiled, relieved. He stood and turned to leave the room.

“Let’s do it.”

He stopped long enough to turn and look at a grinning rotting corpse of CJ Wylde shaking his head just behind Lucy’s shoulder. He turned back quickly and waited for Lucy to lead the way out of this haunting ground.

 

“We’ve been waiting for over two hours now.”

Rogan paced back and forth, his hands behind his back. Lucy watched on, and though she was annoyed too, she was amused by her partner’s reaction. So, it wasn’t a total loss.

Too bad Eden isn’t here to see this,

She thought. Rogan was still pacing, running the back of his hand along his chin.

“You’re sure they said they were sending someone to interview us for this?”

Lucy nodded, stifling a laugh. This was driving Rogan crazy! She was sure the interviewer would show up soon, so she was savoring this while she had the chance.

“All right, well… we can’t wait much longer. I’m getting hungry and this… this is just inconsiderate!”

His face was red. Lucy pondered, then shrugged and nodded in agreement.

“It really is. But, that’s ok. We can entertain ourselves for a few minutes. They’re probably just running behind. Hey, I bet they sent the same person to all three teams, and you know how long-winded Seb can be!”

Rogan paused.

“Can he? I’ve never noticed.”

“Yeah, you probably hang on his every word. Does Rogan have a crush?”

He blew a raspberry and waved a dismissive hand, but she had lightened the mood anyway. He even cracked a smile.

“I don’t even like the kid. I mean, he’s not an idiot. And, I guess, you know, sometimes he’s funny. But he’s not likable at all. Well, except for his quick wits. And he is admirable in the ring.”

“Ooookay, that’s enough. That backfired.”

He gave her a wink and looked at the clock in the meeting room of the hotel they were staying in. It has been reserved for them for the evening. But, the evening was drawing close to an end, as far as Rogan and Lucy were concerned.

“Anyway, I thought you were the one who had the hots for Seb. You guys have been flirting with each other for months now.”

He grinned and Lucy reached out, slapping him on the shoulder. But, she didn’t seem to have a joking look on her face.

“I can’t believe you’d say that! You jerk!”

Rogan chuckled.

“Oh I’m just kidding and you know it. You’re way out of his league. Uh, I mean… well, you know.”

“I don’t think I do. Why don’t you explain?”

“Well…”

He tried to think of something. If the interviewer had any good timing whatsoever, now would be a great time to make his grand entrance.

“Well, you’re just… you’re Lucy Wylde. And he’s… well, obnoxious.”

She giggled.

“Well that I can agree with you on. But, that doesn’t necessarily explain very well.”

“Yeah, well… Is it hot in here? It is, isn’t it? Did they turn the heat on?”

She laughed again, and waved her hand at him.

“Just forget it, Dark Man. I was only messing with you anyway.”

Rogan paused and looked at her, confused.

“Oh… yeah, I know. Anyway, I’m about to give up on this guy. We don’t have the time to be waiting on the media when we’ve got to defend these against not just one elite cooperative team, but two of them.”

He taps the Cooperative Championship that he had slung over his shoulder.

“Calm down, Rogan.”

Lucy said, leaning against the table that her own Cooperative Championship rested on.

“I don’t think Roxy, Angie, Seb and Travis are gonna ambush us while we’re waiting. Then again…”

Rogan glanced at her just as her eyes widened and she gasped, staring at something just over his shoulder and when he turned around to see what it was, she broke down into a fit of giggles. He turned back to her and adjusted his collar, looking at her with disbelief.

“Have you lost your mind?!”

He said it more as a statement than a question. He finally did sit down, though, setting his championship belt on the table next to Lucy’s.

“Travis would do anything for ratings. I mean, he’s stooped so low that he’s recruited Seb to be on his network. Now, before you say anything, I’m aware that Seb has boosted his ratings. He’s wittier than Travis is. He’s funnier.”

“Oh my god, shut up Rogan!”

He propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands, exaggerating a dreamy stare. He sighed as if his breath had been taken away. Lucy reached over and swung at him, but Rogan dodged.

“Hey! That was pretty close! If I hadn’t moved, you could have knocked me out.”

“I knew you’d move. No harm, no foul.”

“Oh, you’re starting to know my movements now?”

Lucy grinned.

“Well, we are partners.”

He sat in silence, then simply nodded in agreement. He didn’t have a retort for that. They had grown very familiar with each other over the last few months. Rogan looked at the clock.

“I bet Roxy’s taking liberties with the interviewer. I bet that’s what’s taking so long. Or Angie. What a floozy she’s become, huh?”

Lucy gasped.

“Oh my god, Rogan.”

“What? You know it’s true. I’ve heard the rumors going around about her.”

“And that’s probably all they are. Since when is Rogan MacLean a mark for gossip?”

“Since Rogan MacLean became a student of human nature.”

“Pfft. Get outta here.”

She waved him away, and was surprised when he stood up.

“Excellent idea! Time’s up for me. If the Coalition wants an interview that bad, the fuckers can find us.”

Lucy smiled and stood. As entertaining as this was for her, she was getting hungry. And she assumed they probably would come find them if they really wanted an interview. They walked out of the room and the hotel.

 

Thirty-three hours later, it wasn’t exactly amusing to Lucy anymore. And, in fact, they both had dismissed it as a miscommunication between them and UGWC. So when Lucy’s phone rang and she answered it, neither of them thought it was the interviewer wanting to ask them questions. But, it was. When Lucy hung up, she rolled her eyes and found Rogan.

He was playing pinball in the hotel’s arcade room. Fancy hotel.

“Rogan, we have an interview.”

Rogan chuckled, keeping his focus on the pinball machine. He had a high score to beat.

“Yeah right. A day and a half ago, we did, supposedly. Allegedly, even. Today? It seems that we’re booked.”

“…you’re playing pinball.”

“Exactly.”

She rolled her eyes, but a smile pulled at her mouth.

“Come on, Rogan. I know it’s bullshit, but I think it will be fun. I’m interested in the questions they have for us. I’m looking forward to some well-thought out, deep dives into our minds and our histories.”

Rogan watched the ball go back home and stopped to look at Lucy, leaning against the arcade game. He sighed and walked over to a receptionist’s desk, borrowing a pencil and a small sheet of paper. He came back to the pinball machine and used it as a table.

“Okay look. Fair’s fair. When… or if this interviewer shows up… give him this.”

He began drawing a shape on the piece of paper. Lucy craned her neck to see what he was drawing. After a few seconds, he handed the paper to her and smiled proudly. Her eyebrows raised when she finally saw what he’d drawn.

“Did you just give me a picture of a dick?!”

Rogan’s eyes widened and he pulled the paper back into his hands, looking over his handiwork.

“What?! No!”

He turned the paper over in his hands frantically.

“No, no see. It’s a squash.”

He fumbled the paper and set it on the machine, pointing at it emphatically.

“A squash. So, see, give that to them when they…”

He sighed and looked at the picture again.

“You know what, don’t. They may think you’re requesting something. Even though, it’s definitely a squash.”

Lucy smirked.

“Mmmmhm… Message received, Dark Man.”

She said playfully as she turned to leave.

“I don’t know what you’re gonna do, but I’m gonna humor our employers for a little while.”

Rogan sighed and looked at the sheet of paper once more as Lucy left the arcade.

“…yeah, that’s definitely a dick pic.”

He crumbled it up and tossed it behind the pinball machine before hurrying after his partner. Outside the arcade, she was waiting. And so was a man with a sheet of paper and a pencil. He was balding, but had gray hair on the sides. His nose was a little bigger than what it should be in proportion to the rest of his face, and he had some wicked sideburns.

“Mr. MacLean!”

He said it excitedly. But Rogan only pointed at him, his jaw agape.

“Hey… hey, I’ve seen you somewhere before. Aren’t you… aren’t you the janitor in Billy Madison?”

The man looked at him, confused. Lucy elbowed him in the side.

“Rogan, that’s rude.”

“No, seriously! Are you not the janitor in Billy Madison? Here, tell me about Miss Lippy’s car. Come on, what color is it? What does Billy like to drink?”

The man with the pencil and paper only looked from Rogan to Lucy questioningly. Lucy shrugged politely, apologizing for her partner.

“He’s a little… frustrated. We’ve been waiting for several hours for this interview. Was there some sort of mixup or something?”

“Oh! Uh… no.”

Rogan elbowed Lucy in the side, an ‘I told you so’ elbow.

“Right, well let’s hear your questions, Mr. Janitor.”

Rogan smiled and crossed his arms in front of his chest. The interviewer smiled back and motioned towards a sitting room down the hall from where they stood.

“Would you two like to sit down and get comfortable first?”

Rogan shook his head but followed unenthusiastically, walking side by side with Lucy.

“You sure you’re not gonna get lost on the way there and make us wait another thirty some hours?”

Lucy said quietly as they walked, garnering a snort of laughter from Rogan as they entered the room. The interviewer sat down and turned his attention to Rogan and Lucy, who were both smirking.

“What? Oh, here we are! Sit! Sit please!”

Lucy and Rogan sat on a small couch, adjacent to the chair the janito–Interviewer was seated in.

“Oh, ok! Great! Uh, first question: Lucy, if you had to choose one of these teams to not be included in this match… which one would you choose and why?”

Lucy elbowed Rogan, this time hard. Rogan knew that one was demanding that he behave now. It was a legitimate question. A weak one to start with, but legitimate anyway. So Lucy took her time, smoothing her hands over her thighs as she tried to think of an answer that wasn’t as horrible as the question posed to her.

“Ah, well.. That’s a tricky one, isn’t it? I mean, both teams are more than worthy of being in this match. I mean on one hand, you’ve got Roxy and Angie, the two ladies we beat for these belts. If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again – They’re everything they’ve been hyped up to be. And on the other hand, you’ve got Seb and Travis. I’ve got my reservations about Travis, hell I always have.. But it’s no real secret that Seb’s had my number as of late.”

Lucy shrugged her shoulders.

“That being said, I don’t really think I’d pick either of these teams to be taken out of this match because if Rogan and I are gonna be the best cooperative team in the UGWC.. Then we’ve gotta beat ’em all… so why not beat two of the best at once?”

She sat back, satisfied as she glanced over at Rogan.

“What about you, Dark Man… Who would you take out of the match, hmmm?”

“That’s easy.”

He lounged back and crossed his legs at the ankles.

“The Cool Kids. If I have to endure Roxy Cotton sticking her filthy crotch in my face ever again, I’ll sue the company for negligence.”

He paused and looked at Lucy, who covered her face already.

“…other than that, they’re both worthy of being in this match. You know, joking aside. Aren’t you going to write any of this down?”

The interviewer had been staring off. Rogan wondered if he had heard a single word of either response. He looked startled, then began writing out… something. Rogan shook his head.

“What else ya got?”

Lucy asked impatiently. The interviewer looked down at his paper.

“Okay, this is a good one. Rogan, what is your ideal date?”

Rogan stared at him for a long time. Slowly, he turned his head to stare at Lucy. But, her face remained hidden. He couldn’t say ‘I told you so’ if she wasn’t listening.

“Well, Sideburns… I guess my ideal date might include tossing smartass janitors out of a window, shortly after jamming his freshly sharpened pencil up his arse. Lucy, how about you? Does that sound like a good date?”

He kept his gaze fixed on the interviewer. Lucy meanwhile, glanced over at Rogan and then over at the interviewer and sighed.

“I don’t know, you add in a couple of drinks afterwards and I’m in.”

She replied, a humorless chuckle escaping her lips.

“Is this seriously what you wanna ask us? The biggest night of our respective careers coming up and you’re asking about our ‘ideal dates’? What’s next? What’s my ‘type’?”

Rogan nodded, still glaring at the interviewer.

“Do you dare ask your next question? I suggest that it better be a goddamned good question. You’re thirty-six hours late to the interview… and all you’ve come up with is this bullshit?”

The interviewer began to scoot closer to the door, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He looked down at his paper and read off the question.

“If… if things end poorly, who gets custody of Jase?”

Rogan jumped up from the couch and the interviewer scurried out of the room. Rogan stopped and looked back at Lucy.

“See? I told you so!”

She rolled her eyes and looked down at the table, sighing.

“Yeah yeah… but with your temper, I would obviously get custody of Jase.”

“Bullshit, I’ve taken care of Jase for the last four years! I’ll fight for custody if I have to.”

“Well, then I’ll see your ass in court!”

They started to smile, but the door cracked open slightly and the interviewer poked his head back in, tossing a tube onto the floor and rushing back out before Rogan could get his hands on him.

“What the hell’s that?”

Lucy asked, nodding at the cylindrical tube rolling on the floor. Rogan picked it up and looked at it thoughtfully.

“I don’t know, but… something about it looks oddly familiar.”

He started to tamper with it and Lucy spoke up.

“Maybe… maybe you shouldn’t open that.”

Rogan looked up and sighed, pulling at the edges.

“Why? You think it could be a bomb?”

He chuckled and shook his head. Lucy raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. As he ripped open the top, there was a muffled explosion, followed by a cloud of multi-colored glitter that showered both of them. The entire room was covered in glitter, including Rogan. And including Lucy. They stood, Rogan looked to be in shock, his hands gripping a piece of paper.

“So…”

Lucy said through a mouth full of glitter.

“What’s the note say?”

Rogan stared at her, then down at the note.

“It says… ‘Good luck. I’ll be rooting for both of you. I hope you enjoyed my latest prank. Best regards… Jase.’”

“That… son… of… a bitch.”

Rogan nodded slowly, coughing up pink and blue glitter. After a few moments, Lucy began laughing as Rogan watched her curiously.

“You can have custody of him.”

She finally says, laughing even harder.