Making it Count

Six months. That's all it took to make one of her biggest dreams come true. Jillian was finally champion.

The first attempt at the title had been a disaster. This one was her's by right because of the steel cage match she'd won against Scarlett Bordeaux. It was also the first match she had as an official member of oVe. Meaning they were all at ringside. Something that made her even more nervous.

In the end she lost horribly. Too distracted and unsure of herself to properly fight. So she went home in frustrated tears, hoping that in a few days she'd feel better and get a rematch. She'd gone to the oVe compound the next day and cried tears of sorrow upon discovering they`d given Madman Fulton a 'cleansing'. It had been utterly heartbreaking.

Jake and Dave had been sympathetic at first but upon seeing Sami's indifference, they too became the same way. According to their oh so lovely leader, it was her punishment for losing the title match. Jillian was devastated.

And thus her feud with Taya was born. In an effort to keep Fulton from receiving his routine 'cleansing', she vowed to win. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Whether it was due to Taya getting the upper hand or outside interference that oVe was unable to stop. Either way she lost each time and was punished for it. Be it via things happening to her Madman or things being taken away from her. Callihan promised it was all to teach her something. And teach it did.

Slowly Jillian began learning how to get the upper hand, how to get away with dirty tricks, and sneakily get away with interfering in matches of her teammates. She was adapting to the oVe ways and Sami couldn't be happier. He understood that his methods weren't exactly pleasant for her but he also knew that he had to be harsh in order to get his point across. It wasn't as if he liked harming and torturing Fulton on a weekly basis. Anymore.

But it worked. And that's all that mattered.

She began winning more matches and started treating Taya with a slowly growing ruthlessness that made her group proud. What began as a way to survive and keep the one she cared for so deeply safe, became something ingrained into her very being.

And now Jillian was champion. And she could honestly say she did it on her own. After all but begging Sami to keep everyone backstage, he agreed to let her get her first big win on her own. Even if he did so rather reluctantly.

As she stumbled up the ramp and behind the curtain with the championship belt slung over one shoulder and Taya screaming at her from the ring, Jillian felt proud of herself for the first time in months.

"There she is!" Sami cheered as she came through the curtain. "There's our champ."

A laugh bubbled up her throat as she walked over to them. "Am I really?"

Sami grinned and took the championship from her shoulder so he could secure it around her waist. "Give it a second, kid. It`ll sink in."

Jillian nodded and grinned back at him, her mind still trying to process what just happened. After months of violent clashes, screaming matches, and devastating losses she finally got what she wanted. Well, part of what she wanted. Being champion was just one of many things.

As she ran her hands over the shiny new belt in wonder, disbelieving laughter escaped and tears gathered in her eyes. She sank to the floor as realization finally began to hit, truly overcome with emotion.

"And there it is," Jake Crist chuckled.

She laid back on the floor, hands moving from the belt to cover her mouth and tears of joy streaming down her face. She did it. She really did it.

Noticing her tears, Madman Fulton bounded over and all but flopped down on top of her, making her squeal in surprise, and put his arms around her as best he could with them both laying down.

"That didn't take too long either," Dave Crist snickered.

Jillian happily wrapped her arms and legs around the so called monster and held onto him tightly. Truly feeling joyus. He wasn't where he should be yet but he was getting there. It had been almost two months since his last 'cleansing' and he was still controllable. And as long as he stayed that way to a certain extent, their leader wouldn't put him through another one.

She suddenly looked up at the men surrounding her and offered a tearful smile as her Madman nuzzled into her neck and held on tighter. "Thank you, Sami. For everything."

Callihan grinned back at her. "You're one of us now. You deserve it."

Six months. Six measly months was all it took for Jillian to truly become part of oVe.