The Ropes and the Sheets Chap3

I'm a cowboy.
On a steal horse I ride.
I'm wanted dead or alive.
I'm a cowboy.
I got the night on my side.
I'm wanted dead or alive.
And I ride dead or alive.

Randy Orton was standing on the side of the ring, taking a rest, watching Melina, Damian, and two other divas, Natalya and Michelle, practicing a tag team workout. He wiped the pouring sweat from his face with a terry cloth towel. Jesus, why did they always keep it so damn hot in here?  He blew air up the front of his face through his lips and then glanced up at the women again. Natalya was beating the tar out of Damian. Poor thing. He laughed anyway and shoved away from the side of the ring as the door opened and cool air poured in. He looked toward the area. A man that seemed to be about his height, with brown, shaggily spiked hair stepped inside. He smirked.

"Bastion!" The man looked up at Orton and grinned.

"Hey! It's The Viper!" Orton laughed and crossed the floor to him. He gave Bastion a hug handshake and then leaned away.

"How's the back treating you?" Bastion shrugged.

"Doctor gave me the okay to come back, so it's not too bad, huh?" Orton smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, it can't be too bad." He looked back around the gym and Bastion looked with him.

"I heard there was a new diva in town." Orton looked back at him.

"Yeah, names Damian Desdemona. McMahon wanted to pair her up with one of you guys in the Heavyweight class, I think." Bastion nodded.

"Hope it's me," he laughed, "I'd like to get to know her, if you get me." Orton smirked.

"Nah, man, I don't." He grinned at Bastion and got a punch to the arm.

"Well, take me over and introduce me then. You seem to be okay with her." Orton shrugged.

"I dunno, man. She seems kind of like one of those cases we had back in '05. Thinks she already knows everything there is to know about wrestling." Bastion sniggered.

"Well, maybe you should teach her a few things, champ." Orton shook his head, a smirk playing on his mouth.

"Nah, man, you know I know I don't fight women." Bastion elbowed him.

"You know that's not what I meant." Orton glared at him.

"Come on, Bastion. When you going to stop trying to get me to cheat on my wife?" Bastion laughed and slapped him on the back.

"Awh, come on Orton, you know I'm just fucking with you." Orton nodded.

"Yeah." He hated Bastion's sense of humor, but led him over to the ring anyway.

"Hey. HEY!" He caught the attention of the women in the ring, who all looked over at him. Michelle's mouth went into a giddy, stupid grin.

"Hi Bastion." Her voice was too girly for her physique. Damian laughed.

"Desdemona, I wanted to introduce you to one of our leading Heavyweights. This is Alexander Bastion." Orton looked at Bastion. He smiled at Damian.

"Hello." He grinned at her. Damian smirked back and then leaned over the ropes to shake his hand.

"Damian, I think Bastion is going to be your in ring man." Orton looked at her. Damian couldn't help but notice that he seemed less than thrilled about the fact. She nodded.

"Okay, sure." She looked over at Melina, who smiled at her, as if to say "I told you so." She couldn't see herself falling in love while trying to work, but Bastion wasn't half bad looking. His nose was a little crooked, but she supposed that he'd probably broken it more than once in this line of work.

"Well, I just wanted to introduce myself. I better get training for Monday night." Bastion smiled and received a cheerful goodbye from Michelle and Natalya. Orton waved at the four, clearly going to train with Bastion, and was offered an unceremonious farewell from Michelle.  Damian looked at Melina.

"What's up Orton's ass?" Melina laughed at her.

"Orton and Bastion are supposed to be best friends, but everyone knows that he can't really stand Bastion. He's a woman player." Damian smirked.

"Then should I feel honored that he didn't enjoy introducing me to him?" Melina laughed in earnest.

"Not at all. Orton is kind of a jerk anyway. Mark my words; he'll be your worst enemy in a week's time." Damian looked at her.

"Why's that?"

"Just sit back and watch." Damian watched her walk away and flick at Natalya's hair, causing her to turn and start attacking her in a playful manner. Damian looked across the gym to Orton and Bastion as they were lifting an ungodly amount of weight on the bench presses. Orton didn't seem like that bad of a guy.

~*~

Mark Melina's words, all right. It wasn't more than three days later that Damian found herself flat on her back on the bench of the bench press with Orton in her face, screaming at her.

"What the hell's your problem?" She yelled back at him, clearly without as much power or intensity behind it, but she tried anyway.

"My problem? What the hell's YOUR problem? Do you think that you can just sit back while everyone else trains for next Monday's show and expect them to do all the work for you?" Damian stared into his rage filled eyes.

"I AM working, Orton, in case you haven't noticed. I've gained 10 pounds of muscle in the last week. I've been here night and day, training because you and Melina won't get off my back." Orton threw his head back and laughed.

"It's not about the muscle, stupid! It's about the moves. I guarantee you you'll be hurt after Monday's show. I guaran-damn-tee it." Damian shook her head and sat up. She attempted to walk toward the door.

"Don't fucking walk away from me!" Orton grabbed her arm. "You're an arrogant little bitch that thinks she knows everything about wrestling." Damian jerked her arm out of his grip.

"Don't ever lay a hand on me." She glared at him and then walked out of the gym, being sure to give Orton the finger as she went.  Melina was right. He was nothing but a jerk; and she was sure she'd just made an enemy out of him.