Slaughterhouse

Blackout

Carmen woke up early the next morning, deciding to go to the gym before the performance center. Since her routine was messed up by eating at a diner with Rhea and the guys, she wants to make sure she sheds the unnecessary calories.

Carmen records herself doing leg presses. She posts it to Instagram when she gets done with the caption:

Leg day 💀

Finishing up her workout, she wipes down the equipment and leaves, making her way on foot to the performance center. Her car is a luxury her body can't afford right now.

When she walks inside she looks around at everyone training in and out of the rings. People are being thrown out, and back in, from every which direction. She spots Finn, Dom and Damian going after each other in a ring towards the back of the room and makes her way there.

Rhea is leaning on the apron, yelling different tips at each of them.

"Come on Finn, tighter!" She shouts.

"Hey. Looks like fun." Carmen smiles as she walks up, setting her duffle down by the ring.

Rhea looks over at her, her eyes looking up at her forehead and down her cheeks.

"You're sweating already."

"Just came from the gym." Carmen explains.

Rhea nods slightly and looks back at the guys. Finn has Damian pinned but Dom jumps at him, breaking it up.

"Nice, Dom!" She shouts.

"So who are we bringing in?" Carmen asks, looking around.

"Liv Morgan. She'll be here when she's finished with Raquel." Rhea replies without looking at her.

She nods and watches the guys fight until Dom taps out, claiming to be too exhausted to continue and rolls from the ring. Finn and Damian laugh and hop out as well, going for water.

"Get in." Rhea says and climbs up and between the ropes.

Carmen grabs the bottom rope and swings her legs over the apron, rolling into the ring before standing on her feet. Rhea rolls her eyes.

"What? You know you like seeing me do it." Carmen smirks.

Before she knows it, she feels a sharp blow to her back as she falls to her knees, reaching back behind her. There's another pain in her side before she realizes she's being attacked by Liv.

Carmen falls to her stomach and quickly rolls to her back, kicking her feet up and throwing Liv from her. She kicks up, landing on her feet with her hands out.

"You said she was feisty." Liv says to Rhea, but she's smirking at Carmen.

"Big mistake you oompa loompa." Carmen says.

The nickname angers Liv and she runs at her, but that's exactly what Carmen wanted. She jumps to the side as Liv goes to strike, spins and kicks her square in the back. Liv groans as she falls to the floor of the ring holding her back.

Carmen walks over, pushes Liv onto her back with her foot, jumps up and slaughterhouse! She falls onto Liv's side with her elbow, knocking the wind out of her.

She grins at herself when she hears all three of the guys sucking air in through their teeth at the sight of Liv curling into a ball, eyes wide, gasping for air.

Rhea kneels down to check on her and she nods that she's fine. Standing, Rhea turns back to Carmen.

"Not bad for being blindsided." Rhea compliments.

"Lesson one right? Always be prepared." Carmen winks.

Rhea rolls her eyes.

"Enough with the winking." She groans.

Carmen laughs and throws her arms out.

"Why? Does it have you all hot and bothered?" She smirks.

"Just...work on your moves." Rhea shakes her head.

They continue to wrestle, Liv getting involved as a third every now and then. Rhea is clearly testing her. Her skill, her patience, her stamina. But why? If she's already in the group, what is the test for?

Carmen maintains her composure, not showing a hint of her exhaustion. She's keeping up, but her lungs begin to burn. Her head is pounding and her stomach is cramping.

Twenty minutes of nonstop action later, she falls onto the floor after a kick that only should have made her stumble. She sees nothing but white for a few minutes before coming around and seeing five faces peering down at her.

"What happened?" She asks.

"You blacked out. Lasted longer than I expected though." Rhea says and grabs her arm, helping her sit up.

She hands her a cold bottle of water and Carmen gratefully accepts it, gulping it all down in a matter of seconds.

"That was pretty hardcore. I've gotta run. Catch you guys at Raw." Liv says and waves before leaving.

The guys make excuses to leave as well and make their way out of the building.

It's just Rhea and Carmen now on the floor of the ring. Rhea scoots back and leans against the ropes, watching as Carmen opens a second bottle of water.

"Wanna tell me what that was?" Rhea asks.

"What what was?" Carmen counters as she sips the water.

"That wasn't exhaustion. You weren't slowing down. You just passed out." She explains.

Carmen shrugs and finishes the water.

"Guess I didn't position myself right for the kick." She says.

Rhea raises an eyebrow, "Try again."

"I don't know what you want me to say."

Sighing, Rhea folds her arms.

"You hungry?" She asks.

Carmen shakes her head.

"Have you eaten today?"

Again, Carmen shakes her head.

"Let's go." Rhea says and stands.

Carmen reluctantly stands as well and follows her out of the ring. She silently follows her to the parking lot and towards her truck.

"I'll bring you back to your car. Get in."

"I walked." Carmen says before climbing into the truck.

Rhea looks at her through the windshield before getting in. During the drive, Rhea is clearly deep in thought, and she obviously wants to say something, but she doesn't.

"So...you single?" Carmen asks with a smirk, trying to break the silence.

Rhea quickly glances at her before looking back at the road.

"Don't come to training tomorrow without eating first. It's dangerous." She replies.

Carmen sighs and shakes her head. Rhea takes her to a restaurant where she orders food for her and sits there watching her until she eats every bite. They sit in silence for a while, Rhea just watching her, until she gets the nerve to speak up.

"I should probably get going. I told my mom I'd go shopping with her today since we leave town soon." Carmen says.

Rhea tilts her head before nodding. When Carmen gets up to leave, she insists on driving her back to her apartment since it would be a far walk. Carmen gives in and ultimately lets her drive her, but she doesn't let up on the flirting on the way.