Corporate Suits

Our Finish

To quote Drake, "Nothing was the same."

The trial was done with mass media present. Alexis, Phil, John, Leah, and Brianna all testified against April in court. With the evidence and overflow of testimonies, April's lawyer only saw fit to plead insanity for their client, a judgement April accepted swiftly. Nicole would've honestly let April go, no trial or anything but Vince wouldn't let it end that simply. She was sentenced to 5 years in a mental hospital.

Nicole eventually recovered from her neck injury, actually going through with surgery and working with her brother-in-law Daniel to create a new finisher for herself. Her only reminder of AJ was her beloved dog, Nacho Cheese. His mood was low when he noticed his owner was rarely appearing and then never there, but he got used to living only with Nicole.

She also got a new dog, a puppy Nacho could play with. He was a French bulldog named Winston. The two of them connected very well and she was happy Nacho wasn't depressed anymore.

As for her personally, she returned to the WWE in the midst of its brand splitting. There were new Women's title ideas- all of April's ideas before she left. New belts, new division. Alexis was a key person in keeping Nikki together during the leave. There were times during recovery when Nicole was in a deep slump where she'd normally get it out through sparring or exercise, but she had strict orders to do neither but sit there with her toxic thoughts.

"For the things I couldn't do or say for you, for not keeping my promise."

"My plans for us in the future is to make sure you never cry like this. And if I fail that I can be here to hold you like this, to comfort you."

"It would've been so romantic as I nursed you back to health, all the while convincing you to retire early so we could spend our lives together."

"I can't help it. I love April so much, we've been through things and there'll be more to come, but I really love her John. I don't see myself with anyone else at this point."

"By the way, you think she'd be weirded out if you called her Sister-in-law?"

"I love you so much, I can't bear to see you in prison."

It hurt. It really hurt. It hurt Stephanie to the core, the very essence of her being was mangled and bruised from April's wake.

"You're afraid that staying with me is gonna make you fall deep. You think that when you're at that point I'm just going to up and leave you. Well news flash, April. I'm not going anywhere. And you aren't either."

"Why are you so calm about this? You aren't the least bit jealous?"

"Because, like I said previously, I trust you. A lot. I know we weren't on the best terms, but you and I faced our adversities and here we are together. I doubt we'd just drop everything we've worked so hard on."

So what exactly went wrong between them? Just what made AJ do...that?

Nicole's not satisfied with the simple answer of AJ loving her too much.

There was no way. When April loves, she loves deeply. She gave up too soon, too quickly. She took the plea of insanity too well. Call Nicole delusional but she knew it. There was this feeling tugging inside of her that something was amiss. But what?

Everything was laid out perfectly.

AJ had done this kind of thing before and succeeded with Phil and his Staph infection mix up. There was history with the crime. AJ was unstable and obsessive in relationships, that was the line the McMahons said she blurred, which was why she acted it through so well. There was a motive. AJ wanted to live happily ever after with Nikki, so did what worked last time. It made perfect sense.

And yet, Nicole wasn't at ease. It was something... There was something.

"Because you wouldn't have believed me. If I told you everything."

What did that mean?

"And I'll be waiting for you. Waiting for you to come back to me."

Why would April wait?

She never stopped thinking about it, even after her return back to normalcy.

Why would April wait?

She thought about it at the gym.

Why would April wait?

She thought about it on the road.

Why would April wait?

She dreamed of her.

"Because you wouldn't have believed me. If I told you everything."
"And I'll be waiting for you. Waiting for you to come back to me."

If I told you everything....

I'll be waiting for you...

Because you wouldn't have believed me....

Waiting for you to come back to me.

Nicole jumps out of her sleep with a cold sweat.

"April's innocent!" She gasps out her revelation.
_________

Phzznix Says : that's the end folks

I know. I ain't shit.

Corporate Suits has finished! Thank you all so much for the love, comments, support and all the other good stuff you've done! Thank you for your interest in my work.

Until next time,

Phzznix_VII