Cornered: On the Ropes

Chapter 8

"I feel bad for Nikki." Liv twined her hair around her fingers as she waited in a secret room, waiting for her cue. The other three women in the number-one contender match knew she was coming, but Hunter wanted Liv's return to be a secret from everyone else.

"Don't." Becky patted her knee as she stood. The room was close to Gorilla Position so Liv wouldn't have to go past many people on her way to the ring, and Becky had stopped in on her way back from her match. "You didn't hurt her. You're not the reason she needs surgery. She wasn't going to win the match anyway, and this will spark a whole new storyline for her. We've all been there," she added reassuringly. "You'll both make the best of it."

"Thanks, Becks, thanks for everything. You were one of the few people to keep in touch after I left. It... it meant a lot," Liv said, feeling tears prickle her eyes. She was already a bundle of nerves and now she was getting emotional. She couldn't imagine what she was going to do once her music hit—she was being allowed to keep the same music, at least for now, to get a rise out of the crowd—and she went back out on stage.

"You deserve this, Liv. Don't forget that." Becky gave her a hug and stepped back. "Don't forget to enjoy the moment. Hopefully this is your last comeback."

Liv managed a smile. "Fingers crossed."

Becky kissed the top of Liv's head and ruffled her hair gently, careful not to mess it up too much. "Luck of the Irish!" Then she left, quickly closing the door behind her.

Liv wasn't wearing a watch and there was no clock in the room, but it felt like only minutes had passed before there was a knock on the door and TJ, the producer for the match, stepped in. "Hey, Liv. You're almost up. Come listen for your cue."

"Thanks, TJ." Liv hopped to her feet and shook out her arms before following the producer off to the wings. She could hear the roar of the crowd quickly turn to boos, which probably meant Carmella, the current champ, had gotten her hands on a microphone.

"Oh, so sad! Little Icky Nikki can't make it to the match?" Carmella trilled. "Works for me. Now I only have to watch the three of you losers fight for the honour of losing to... me!"

And there it is, Liv thought, stepping up to the curtain. Then came her recorded laugh, her signature Watch me slogan, and her music, but she could barely hear any of it over the crowd. As soon as she stepped out onto the stage, she was hit by a wave of light and sound, and when she spun around, she almost tripped on her own feet. She managed a little wave at Carmella, though, and skipped down to the ring, high-fiving fans along the barricades and sliding under the bottom rope. Then she hopped to her feet and took the microphone from Carmella's hand. "Or you could just watch me."

As Liv tossed the mic to the floor, she caught Sonya's eye and grinned. "Welcome back," Sonya whispered as the referee called all the women forward to explain the terms of the match. Sulking, Carmella scrambled out of the ring and went to sit at the commentary desk.

"Thanks. And congratulations," she replied. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Sonya was the one slated to win the next title shot, but the match was going to set up a feud between Liv and Bayley.

Liv! Liv! Liv! The chants from the crowd weren't always the loudest or the longest, but the fact that they were still cheering her name after so many months away warmed Liv's heart, and she smiled at a little girl wearing one of her old shirts. The match went back and forth and since it wasn't a one on one bout, Liv wasn't truly tested, but she still felt good about being in front of an audience again.

She and Bayley tumbled out of the ring and Liv played her part, keeping Bayley from getting back in while Sonya made Natalya tap out. "What are you doing, you stupid idiot?" Bayley screamed, struggling to get back in the ring. Under the guise of pushing Liv away, she ruffled her hair.