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       #Post#: 457--------------------------------------------------
       Bigger Things - Chapter 2 - A Show of Support
       By: RampageSports Date: October 6, 2014, 7:45 pm
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       Character Reference
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Richelle_100x120.jpg
       Name: Richelle Winterfeld
       Nickname(s):
       Background: Owner of the RSI stable, former underground fighter
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Danni_100x120.jpg
       Name: Danneel Harris
       Nickname(s): Danni
       Background: RSI stable leader, reigning DEF welterweight
       champion
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Stephanie_100x120.jpg
       Name: Stephanie McMahon
       Nickname(s): Steph
       Background: RSI's fighter development coordinator, former DEF
       super heavyweight champion, current SCQ super heavyweight
       contender
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Britney_100x120.jpg
       Name: Britney Spears
       Nickname(s): Brit, Queen B
       Background: Team leader of Britney's Brutal Beauties, DEF
       middleweight contender, training partner and close friend of
       Elisha Cuthbert
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Elisha_100x120.jpg
       Name: Elisha Cuthbert
       Nickname(s): Leesh
       Background: Team leader of Leesh's Lethal Ladies, DEF
       middleweight contender, training partner and close friend of
       Britney Spears
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Emma_100x120.jpg
       Name: Emma Watson
       Nickname(s):
       Background: Reigning FAC featherweight champion, training
       partner and lover of Tiffany Mulheron
  HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Tiffany_100x120.jpg
       Name: Tiffany Mulheron
       Nickname(s): Tiff
       Background: Former ESL featherweight champion, current ESL
       featherweight contender, training partner and lover of Emma
       Watson
       [hr]
       Bigger Things - Chapter 2 - A Show of Support
       After the video was done, I watched it again.  Then, I started
       making my calls.  I had another six messages waiting by the time
       I dug the phone back out.  I tried returning them all, but the
       phone just kept ringing as more RSI athletes tried to reach me.
       I gave up and decided to just work through Steph.  She got hold
       of Britney and Elisha, and something resembling order started to
       take shape.  Eventually, the word was spread that all of RSI
       would be there waiting when Emma arrived on Monday morning.
       Which brings us back to today, in my office.
       "What did you think?" Danni asked.
       "I thought she was amazing," I said without hesitation.
       "Do you think she can do it?"
       I shrugged.  "I think she wants to," I said.  "And we all know
       what Emma is like when she sets her mind to something."
       "That's not what I asked," Danni said.
       "I don't know," I said honestly.  "It's a pretty tall order, and
       I'm not sure just how much control Emma really has in this 'He
       for She' thing.  But I've learned not to doubt her.  If anyone
       can do it, she can."
       Danni nodded steadily.
       "We should do something," she said.  "Show her we support her."
       "Really?" I asked sarcastically... stretching out the syllables.
       "Yeah," she replied, clearly not liking my tone.
       "Danni?" I said.  "Did you happen to notice anything different
       about the parking lot this morning?"
       Her eyes slid away as she considered what she might have missed.
       "No."
       "Of course not.  You have your own space, so why would it matter
       to you?"
       She arched an eyebrow at me.
       "How many cars are usually out there at this hour?" I asked.
       "Just yours and mine," she said.
       "And today?"
       She thought about it again.
       "It was already full," she said as my point dawned on her.
       "Everyone's already here."
       I nodded.  "All but one."
       "Why didn't you call and tell me?"
       I shrugged.  "I honestly didn't think of it," I said.  "My phone
       was ringing off the hook about this, yesterday.  I was calling
       people.  Steph was calling people.  I never realized I hadn't
       spoken to you.  I think I just assumed you were in the chain,
       somewhere."
       We were both quiet for a moment.
       "Hey," I said finally. "Why DIDN'T I talk to you yesterday?  I
       think every other member of RSI called me.  Some of the
       rookies... I don't even know how they got my number.  Where the
       heck were you?"
       "I was busy," she said flatly.  "I didn't find out what was
       going on until later."  She pulled one of my business cards out
       of the holder on my desk.  "And your number is not exactly a
       secret," she continued as she handed me the card, my cell number
       clearly printed near the bottom.
       "Oh.  Yeah."
       It took me a moment to realize she hadn't answered my question.
       Busy?, I thought to myself.  So busy that she never talked to
       ANY of us?  How?
       I started to follow-up when my desk phone rang.  I punched the
       speakerphone.
       "What's up, Steph?"
       "Emma's here," she replied.
       "Everyone's in the lobby?" I asked.
       "Everyone but you and Danni," Steph said.
       "We're on our way."
       Danni and I made our way out to the group.  My office opens
       directly onto the lobby, so it was not a long walk.
       "What do you have planned?" Danni asked.
       "We're keeping it simple," I said.
       In the lobby, we found the rest of the RSI family, already
       arranged in a horseshoe facing the front door.  At the center of
       the arc stood Stephanie McMahon, flanked by Britney Spears and
       Elisha Cuthbert.  Danni and I took our place with them.  As we
       went, I grabbed Tiffany Mulheron and pulled her along with us.
       She and Emma had already been through so much together in such a
       short period of time... it only seemed fitting that she be front
       and center to honor the woman she loved.
       The lobby of the RSI facility is completely fronted in glass, so
       we could see Emma the minute she rounded the corner from the
       parking lot onto the front walk.  Emma could see us, as well,
       but I was confident she'd never notice.  True to form, she
       appeared completely lost in thought as she covered the ground
       between the lot and the front door.
       That's our Emma.
       Even after she came through the door, she still remained
       oblivious to our presence.  She was only a few feet away by the
       time she looked up and saw us standing there.  She looked at
       me... first in shock... then in bewilderment.  I smiled at her,
       waiting as she slowly turned and took note of the rest of her
       teammates arrayed around her.  Then, she turned back to me.
       And I started to clap.
       The applause did not build slowly.  What started with me grew
       into a roar within just a few seconds.  Emma face turned a deep
       red, and her eyes glistened with tears.  Hoots and hollers came
       from all corners.  And then... just when I thought things were
       dying down...
       "Em-ma! Em-ma! Em-ma!"  It started with Leesh, and Britney
       joined in immediately.
       "Em-ma! Em-ma! Em-ma!"  Steph, Danni, Tiff... the chant spread
       through the room just as quickly as the applause had.
       "Em-ma! Em-ma! Em-ma!"  Seconds later, all of RSI was chanting
       Emma's name.  As I chanted along, a thought struck me and I
       suddenly laughed out loud.  Danni looked at me, and I leaned
       over and shared my thought.  She laughed, too.  When I turned
       back, Emma was looking right at us.
       I think the chant could have gone on for the rest of the day.
       But I eventually broke it up, as I stepped forward to greet
       Emma.  I threw my arms around her and hugged her fiercely.
       "You were awesome!" I said.
       "Thanks," she said as she wiped away a stray tear.  "You guys
       are nuts, you know."
       "Yeah," I said, "but that's why you love us."
       She smiled.  Then she nodded her head in Danni's direction.
       "What was so funny, anyway?"
       I leaned in and whispered in her ear.  "I suddenly realized," I
       said, "you got all of us to 'say your name.'"
       "Ohhhh!" she said as she gave me a shove.  "You god damn b*tch!"
       "Hey! Hey! Easy!" I said.  "I'm very fragile."
       "My ass," she said.
       I hugged her again, then turned to make room as Tiffany moved in
       and just about knocked her lover down.  I had sorta hoped the
       rest of the group would file in behind me, but nope... they had
       swarmed in from all sides.
       "Would you fools get back?" I said.  "What are you gonna do?
       Crush her to death?"
       The crowd loosened, and I angled my way out of the danger zone.
       I caught Stephanie's eye and asked her to have Emma stop into my
       office when she had a chance.  She looked at me quizzically, but
       I motioned for her not to worry about it.
       The conversation I wanted to have was not going to be a big
       deal.  In fact, I already knew how it was going to turn out.
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