Broken Handcuffs [III]

xviii.

(I Stan a Goddess, mkay sis?)
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AJ stared at the glistening blue championship belt. This was it. The culmination of all of her hard work being shareholder and main advisor of the Women talent and here she was, proud owner of it. It was bittersweet indeed. She fought like hell to get the women recognized backstage, she almost lost her job for pushing the women in the main event slots even though they were already filled and the women luckily delivered each and every time so fans were never disappointed. She grabbed the title and felt the weight in her arms.

It felt heavier than the Divas title.

Maybe it was heavy because it held the weight of what she'd done to get it. Maybe it was heavy because of how much this means to the women. Or maybe it was heavy because April's heart was. When the Divas Title was active, April didn't care about others. She'll happily snatch the title from whoever has it and wouldn't think twice about it- would fight tooth and nail to keep it and still sleep like a baby cuddled with it. This current Smackdown Women's Championship was her hard work backstage and Nikki's hard work in the ring personified. She remembered when Nicole actually helped her design the details of the titles and pitching the idea for personal side plates, something the women never had before.

As she held the title in her arms, looking at the vibrant blue and the shiny jewels emblazoned through it, she smiles. She was a champion again. Regardless of what happened, AJ Lee was a champion again. Her name would be in the WWE history books as a good thing again. It was nice.

But only temporary.

She knew she'd have to give this feeling up eventually and it seemed like her day of reckoning was coming soon with the new script for their rivalry getting sent in. She hadn't even opened it and it's been about two days. They were supposed to meet about three hours before shooting tonight to go over the script and get everyone's opinions about it. That meant being in the same room with Nicole and Leah again, which she hasn't seen either of in a while.

AJ groaned. After checking the time and seeing that moment draw closer by the minute, she packed her ring gear and title up and grabbed the thick booklet, heading out to make her way to the arena.
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Her old habits of wheeling her luggage everywhere she went stuck since she couldn't leave her things with Nicole any- well she wasn't wrestling that much anymore after they got together but whenever she packed her gear Nikki would take the initiative and bring it with her own bags. Now she didn't have that anymore. For the sake and risk of cameras filming for backstage segments or clips AJ had her title latched around her waist as she navigated through the halls.

Trinity nodded her head in greeting as she passed by and April found herself returning the gesture. She felt like things were smoothing over in the locker room now, especially if Naomi was speaking. Well, sort of. Naomi could just be greeting her to be cordial. AJ kept walking and eventually got to the makeshift conference room a little ways off from catering. Nicole and Leah were already there with Stephanie.

"Great! Now that everyone's here we can get started," Stephanie smiled. "Welcome back to the WWE Miss Mendez and congratulations on your title." Both Leah and Nicole scoff in disbelief but doesn't follow up verbally. AJ isn't even offended because they have all rights to be that way. She would be if she was in their position. "Fans have been going crazy about the three of you back into the spotlight and we want to do this right. We want to make this bigger than the first Women's War."

"Here we go," Leah mumbles under her breath and Nikki rolls her eyes. AJ snickers being in on the joke for once. Stephanie just keeps talking though and ignores them- maybe she likes the sound of her own voice.