Madness Revised

Life is full of surprises and giving us things when we least expect it, is one of them. Whether it's something good or bad always remains to be seen.

And today it seemed, was the day life was going to give Jillian more surprises than she might know what to do with.

First it was a last minute call to fill a spot, then the argument with management about a match, who was picked to be in said match, and the stipulation of making it a steel cage match for an opportunity for a shot at the title. Most of which took place in thirty minutes, not counting the two hours it took to get to tonight's show.

And the current situation only added to it.

About halfway through the match Scarlett had smashed Jillian's leg into the ring post with a little too much force, and with the tork she had on her foot, her ankle twisted in a way that was definitely not natural. Though neither woman heard a pop over the roar of the crowd, that didn't mean the pain Jillian was feeling wasn't serious.

But at least Scarlett was nice enough to whisper a quick apology before smashing her face into the canvas. Whether it be for the ankle or the face, Jillian wasn't quite sure in the moment. But the move had made sense. The only way to win was by climbing out of the cage. And making sure your opponent couldn't get up was a good way to do that.

Jillian, however, was able to keep going. After smacking her face into a steel chair and tying her to a ring post, Scarlett was currently incapacitated. At least while she was trying to get out of the cuffs. Because really, a chair shot can only do so much.

So Jillian scrambled up the side of the steel cage as quickly as her ankle would allow, swung over the top and started climbing down. But that's where the real problem began. In order to win, her feet had to touch the ground. And if she dropped down, then that would worsen whatever injury she had already sustained. But if she didn't drop and tried to continue to climb down, then it would give Scarlett more time to get out of those cuffs and scale the wall. And from where Jillian was dangling, she had a pretty good view of her opponent getting one hand free.

Which brought her to her current delima, drop down, win and possibly forfeit that title shot due to injury, or watch her opponent finish wiggling free and scaling the cage. Unfortunately that potential injury was starting to look like a good idea.

"Jilly-bean."

She froze. The words had to of been shouted over the crowd, but to her, it sounded like a teasing whisper in her ear from a man she hadn't heard from in almost a year.

Slowly turning her head to the right, Jillian saw the man that could of brought her to tears. Be it saddens or relief, she wasn't exactly sure yet.

Just a couple feet away stood Madman Fulton. And not far behind, Sami Callihan.

Jillian had met Fulton a few years ago in a different company. They had bonded quickly over growing up in the same state. Turns out, they had lived thirty minutes away from each other and never knew it.

But that was before leaving, before the madness, the supposed cult and possible brainwashing he'd gone through at the hands of Callihan and whoever else was involved in oVe. That group seemed to be everywhere these days and it was hard to keep track of just how many members it had.

She didn't know much about them, perse. Just that they treated everyone not in their little circle like dirt and around the time Fulton disappeared from her life, he had gotten mixed up in them. Specifically Sami.

But they had never gone after her. At least, until now.

"What do you want?" She hissed, glancing back into the ring to see Scarlett still struggling to free her wrist.

"Drop," Sami commanded, both men now all but below her.

"What?" Jillian stared down at him in disbelief. He couldn't possibly be serious. "Are you crazy?"

"I'll be gentle," Fulton suddenly said, shades of her former friend peeking through that far off look of his.

Sami snickered at his monsters wording. Because of course that's how he'd try to convince her to come down. Her understood why she was so hesitant though. He'd never given her a real reason to trust him. Hell, if you weren't in oVe, you had absolutely no reason to trust him. And he liked it that way. Truly, he did. But now was not the time for that.

"You wanna win this without forfeiting your prize? Drop."

Jillian winced at the command and chanced a look into the ring, only for a whine to escape when she saw Scarlett out of the cuffs and beginning to climb up the steel cage.

"I'll be gentle," Madman Fulton said again, his words quickly becoming a barely audible chant over the crowd.

Squeezing her eyes shut she gasped out, "Do you promise?"

"We both do," Sami interrupted. "Now jump."

With a squeak, she dropped down into Fulton's arms. The warmth a welcome change from the cold steel she'd just been holding onto.

"My feet have to touch the floor," she whispered to him.

Madman nodded and carefully placed her on her feet long enough for the bell to ring before carefully scooping her back up into his arms, and on Sami's command, began walking from ringside and to the back.

"What do you plan on doing with me?" Jillian asked as they made it behind the curtain.

Sami shrugged. "Nothing too bad. Besides, he's been asking for you in his more, uh, lucid moments."

She peeked up at the man carrying her and fought to bite back a smile. Fulton had always been special to her. And it was nice to know that even after whatever Sami had done to him to make him into this so called Madman, she was still special to him too.