AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story picks up from No Holds Barred in Belfast, which was based on the idea/request of a fan who wishes to remain nameless. We rejoin the action in Trish's dressing room in Belfast, shortly after her world championship clash with Victoria.
*****
Trish sat on a chair, put her head in her hands, and sobbed. She had been beaten before but not like this; not when it really mattered and she was supposed to win. She should have been furious and vowing revenge, but simply didn't have it in her. Not now, at this very moment.
I'm empty inside, she thought. I've been tricked and humiliated. And my jaw hurts.
Everyone around her was angry. Her dressing room had been invaded by unsympathetic folk and there sounded to be dozens more out in the corridor, all of them shouting at each other.
'Let me have a look at you,' a more rational voice said.
It was one of the medics. Trish lifted her head and let him manoeuvre her mandible.
'Open your mouth,' he commanded. 'That's good. Did opening it hurt?'
'No more than it hurt already.'
'Good. What about your ears? Do they ache?'
'Not so as I've noticed.'
He nodded, seemingly satisfied. 'I don't think it's broken. You could go for an X-ray but I'd bet the hospitals are like the Wild West this time on a Saturday night. Best go home and sleep it off.'
Trish recognized the Commissioner's voice as it joined in the shouting. At a guess he was having a go at Victoria, berating her for what she'd done. At another guess Victoria wouldn't give a shit. It was strange hearing him, though. He was normally dignified and in control. She hadn't known him lose it before, although as a young wrestler his temper had been legendary.
'Come on,' someone said, taking her arm, 'let's get you outta here.'
Surrounded by six enormous security officers, Trish was escorted out. It was not a pleasant experience. Dozens of cameras flashed the second she left her dressing room. Men and women reporters screeched at her, demanding answers to their unintelligible questions. Other people just yelled at her, obviously believing everything was all her fault.
Four large black limos were waiting for them outside the Odyssey Complex, only a few yards from the door. So near yet so far. They still needed the backing of another six security guys to get into them. Then they were away, readying themselves to go through the whole process in reverse, to get her into the hotel. Trish was, of course, used to attention but this was too much. If she hadn't had a wall of muscle around her, someone would have got punched.
At last they arrived outside her suite, leaving the baying mob down in the lobby.
'There's a doctor in there waiting for you,' the boss officer said. 'Apparently he's the best in the island of Ireland. We'll keep an eye on things out here. Don't bother with the Do Not Disturb sign. There ain't nobody else getting in there tonight.'
The doctor was a small man with twinkling eyes and what Trish considered to be a "proper" Irish accent. He told her he was from "Dublin, the biggest city in all of the world, because it's Dublin all the time". Then he repeated the medic's examination, but much more gently.
'Take these,' he said, passing her two blue pills and a glass of water.
She looked at him dubiously.
'For the pain,' he explained. Then, raising his lilting voice, 'Nurse . . . We're ready for you now.'
That actually brought forth two nurses, coming from the direction of the master bedroom.
'What's going on, Doc?' Trish wondered. 'Isn't this a private suite after all?'
'Your commissioner wanted to be sure you're all right. That's why he sent for us. Now, please roll up your sleeve.'
She obeyed and didn't object when one of the nurses swabbed her arm. Well, not much.
'What is that?' she asked.
'Magic juice,' the doctor replied. 'Don't worry. It's fully approved by WADA, and it will help you get to sleep.'
He wasn't joking. She felt the tiniest scratch and immediately went woozy. And that was her lot for that night.
*****
It was daylight when Trish woke from some of the strangest dreams she'd ever had. For a while she lay still, staring up at the high ceiling and ornate light fittings, trying to separate nightmares and reality.
Big mistake!
In one dreamscape she was being chased by a black-haired witch through a haunted house, with all sorts of horrors leaping at her, out of the shadows. In another she was in a New York street, a gang of crazed junkies on her heels, all other pedestrians refusing to believe she was in danger.
Reality was far nastier.
Deliberately voiding her mind, she took stock of her bumps and bruises. A little worse than after a regular fight night, she concluded, but nothing life-threatening. A hot tub and a massage and she would be good for the gym.
'Trish,' someone said, 'are you awake?'
The master bedroom had a lot of floor space. Trish had to lift her head right off the pillow to see the figure watching over her.
'Oh,' she said, 'it's you.'
'Little me,' The Sioux agreed, putting her glossy mag aside and getting to her feet. 'Are you okay? Can I get you anything? Are you ready for some breakfast?'
Trish took in the sight before her. The Sioux was almost six feet of blonde Canadian beauty. She also had a body to die for, and bright blue eyes that instantly reduced men to jelly.
'What are you doing here?' she said. 'And who else is waiting in the wings? Has Slick Willie come back to laugh at the ex-champ?'
'So you know where you are,' The Sioux said cheerily. 'You're not concussed after all.'
'No, I'm not concussed; I'm just highly pissed at the world. So much so I don't think I'll ever eat anything again. And what are you doing here?'
'The Commissioner asked me to keep an eye on you.'
'Have you been here all night?'
'Yeah, I'm on my fifteenth magazine.'