HEALING HANDS (Bayley x OC)

1.19 - Into the Fire

The buzz in the NXT locker room was palpable, but for Jade, it was just noise in the background. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she sat on a bench, lacing up her boots for her first official match under the NXT banner. The small but tight-knit world of NXT had its own rhythm, and she was still learning to sync with it.

All around her, other wrestlers were going through their own routines—some were stretching, others meditating or listening to music. Everyone had their way of preparing, but Jade was still figuring hers out. She had always been methodical before surgeries, double-checking every instrument and mentally reviewing every step. But the wrestling ring was different. There were no neat plans here, no sterile rooms. It was messy, chaotic, and unpredictable—and Jade was about to step into the storm.

"Hey," a familiar voice broke her thoughts. Bayley had snuck into the locker room, a grin on her face. "Ready for your big debut?"

Jade nodded, though her hands were trembling slightly. "Ready as I'll ever be. But it's... different this time. In my indie debut, I had that adrenaline, that chaos to thrive on. But here, it's NXT. Everyone is watching. The pressure is real."

Bayley chuckled, crouching next to her. "You're overthinking it. Remember, the Unhinged Rose isn't about control. She's about embracing that chaos. You don't have to be perfect, Jade. You just have to be fierce."

Jade smiled at her mentor's words, though doubt still lingered. The stakes felt impossibly high. This wasn't a local indie crowd; this was NXT. Millions of people were tuning in. Every move she made in that ring would be scrutinized, every misstep magnified.

The door opened, and Saraya walked in, arms crossed, her trademark smirk lighting up her face. "Time to shine, Jade. The world's watching, but that's exactly what you wanted, isn't it?"

Jade stood, nodding. "Yeah. It is."

"Good," Saraya said, her eyes hardening with focus. "Because once you step through those curtains, there's no going back. You're either going to make them remember you, or you'll be just another wrestler trying to make it."

Jade took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her words. "They'll remember me."

Bayley and Saraya exchanged proud glances before leaving her to finish her preparations. The minutes ticked by as Jade wrapped her wrists and stood up, shaking out the nerves in her limbs. She had her move set memorized, her character dialed in, but it was still a far cry from the refined, polished image she envisioned for herself.

But maybe that was okay. Maybe the rawness was part of what made her... her.

The lights were bright as Jade stepped into the tunnel, her music already playing through the speakers. The sound of the haunting violins and heavy guitars sent chills down her spine, amplifying her heart rate. She could feel the pulse of the crowd through the floor beneath her boots as the fans reacted to her entrance.

The LED boards flashed her name: Jade Sabin – The Unhinged Rose.

When she burst through the curtain, the arena came alive with energy. Fans cheered, some familiar with her from her indie run, others seeing her for the first time. The buzz of excitement filled the air. She made her way down the ramp, her dark ring gear catching the light, reflecting the duality of her persona—the beautiful and the dangerous.

But even as she soaked in the atmosphere, the doubt was there, lingering just beneath the surface. The pressure was mounting. This wasn't just a debut; it was a statement. Every move, every action had to prove that she belonged here.

Her opponent was already in the ring, pacing back and forth—an NXT regular, someone who had seen her share of the spotlight and wasn't about to give it up easily. The crowd knew her, and she had the home-field advantage.

Jade slipped through the ropes, locking eyes with her opponent. There was no handshake, no mutual respect. Just silent tension. The referee signaled for the bell, and just like that, it was on.

From the start, Jade was on the defensive. Her opponent came out swinging, fast and brutal, catching her off guard with a series of strikes and grapples. The intensity of it hit Jade harder than she expected—this wasn't the indies. This was a whole different level of speed and precision.

Jade found herself scrambling, trying to block and counter, but her footing was off. She missed a key reversal, and her opponent capitalized, sending her crashing to the mat with a snap suplex. The ring shook, and so did Jade's confidence.

"Come on, Sabin!" someone shouted from the crowd, but Jade barely heard it. She was already pulling herself up, gasping for air. Her opponent was relentless, following up with a knee strike to her midsection, driving her into the corner.

Get it together, Jade thought. You've faced worse.

Her mind flashed back to the surgeries, to the hospital scandal, to all the things that had brought her here. None of it had been easy, and this wouldn't be either.

With a surge of determination, Jade ducked under a clothesline, spinning out of the corner with a dropkick that sent her opponent sprawling. The crowd roared in approval, and the momentum shifted, if only slightly.

Jade pressed forward, relying on her instincts now. A flurry of strikes, a snap DDT, and then a near fall. She could feel the crowd getting behind her, the cheers growing louder. But the adrenaline was fading, and her body was starting to feel the toll of every hit, every slam.

Her opponent wasn't done yet, though. In a sudden counter, she locked Jade into a submission hold, twisting her arm painfully. Jade gritted her teeth, refusing to tap. Her mind raced, trying to find a way out, but the pain was blinding.

Not like this, she thought. I'm not losing my debut.

With every ounce of strength she had left, Jade clawed her way to the ropes, forcing the break. The crowd erupted as the referee pulled them apart, but Jade could feel how close she had come to losing.

This was the make-or-break moment.

Her opponent charged again, but Jade saw it coming. She ducked low, twisting her body in a fluid motion, and delivered her finishing move—a brutal DDT she had dubbed "The Thorn Drop." The impact shook the ring, and her opponent crumpled to the mat.

Jade crawled over for the pin.

"One... two... three!"

The bell rang, and Jade's music hit the speakers as the crowd exploded into cheers. The referee raised her hand in victory, but Jade barely registered it. She was too busy catching her breath, her body aching from the battle she had just fought.

It wasn't perfect. It wasn't pretty. But it was hers.

As she stood, her chest heaving, Jade looked out at the crowd. They were cheering her name now, chanting, "Unhinged Rose! Unhinged Rose!" The pressure, the doubt, the fear—it had all been worth it.

She had made her mark.

Backstage, as she walked through the curtain, sweat still dripping from her brow, she was met with applause from the crew and her fellow wrestlers. Bayley and Saraya were waiting for her, grinning with pride.

"See?" Bayley said, pulling her into a tight hug. "I told you. You killed it out there."

Jade smiled, exhaustion weighing on her, but a sense of accomplishment burning bright inside her. "Thanks," she said, her voice soft but steady. "But this is just the beginning."

Saraya smirked. "Damn right it is. Welcome to NXT, Sabin. You've got a long road ahead of you."

And Jade was ready for it. Ready for the struggles, the pressure, and the challenges that lay ahead.

Because the Unhinged Rose was only just beginning to bloom.