Cuts Heal In Time (CM Punk)

Chapter 27: Champagne Wars

Smackdown before Extreme Rules

Nikki and Brie just finished a tag match against LayCool that they won. As they celebrated their win, for the second time that week they were interrupted by Bella. They all knew she was supposed to interrupt them. Vince made it clear, but it didn't mean they liked it.

"Yay, you won! Twin magic," Bella said sarcastically, "You know, Nikki, I've been waiting for you to accept my challenge."

"I'm not gonna fight you!" she yelled from the ring. 

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Bella said, as she began to walk down the ramp, "So I just wanted to let you know that if you don't agree to fight me on Sunday, I will still show up at your match and do everything in my power to make sure you lose."

Nikki rolled her eyes. 

"But it's your pick. You can go against me one on one or you can be a coward and I'll screw you over anyway."

Nikki said, "No," so Bella slid into the ring. 

Layla and Michelle Mccool smartly got out of the ring, but Brie ran at Bella to clothesline her. She ducked it and kicked Brie in the stomach, then in the side of the head. Then she moved onto attacking Nikki with the microphone that she was just speaking into. 

Brie got back up and attacked Bella from behind, but she hit her with a forearm in the jaw, then hit a reverse STO, throwing the microphone at her when she was down.

She turned her attention back to Nikki and locked in her submission causing Nikki to scream. She held it in for an extended period of time, until referees had to run out and physically pull Bella off of Nikki.

When Bella slid out of the ring, she picked up the microphone and looked right at Nikki, "I'd advise you to rethink your answer."

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Punk waited for Bella to get backstage at gorilla position, greeting her with a goofy looking smile when she arrived, "You're an animal."

"Vince told me to go and get that match in any way I saw fit."

"You're relentless."

"I get that a lot."

"What are you about to do?" he asked.

"I was gonna get some food from catering, hang out for a bit."

"Mind if I join you?" he snaked an arm around her shoulders.

"If I said no, would you leave me alone?"

"Not a chance," he grinned, causing her to laugh.

The two friends walked to catering like they normally did as if nothing had changed between them.

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Nikki was pissed. She felt disrespected and threatened by the rookie who she knew was receiving a push. Nikki believed it was her time on top. So, she took a page out of Chris Jericho's book and had an opened bottle of champagne in hand as she made her way to catering, with a camera behind her.

She spotted Bella sitting by herself and hid the bottle behind her back, as she made her way over to the table.

"Hey Bella," Nikki got her attention, "I just wanted to say, I thought about what you said, and I decided that I'd love to defend my title against you this Sunday."

"I'm glad you finally came to your senses, Nikki-"

But Nikki cut her off by pouring the entire bottle of champagne on her head, before hitting her with it over and over again. This wasn't planned. Bella hadn't known this was going to happen.

"How does it feel bitch!" Nikki yelled as she hit her with the bottle over and over again.

"Are you gonna run to your little drug-free boyfriend after this?"

Nikki hit Bella with the bottle one more time, causing it to shatter all over her, before walking away laughing.

Bella laid on the floor shaking, as tears began to form in her eyes. She wasn't sure if Nikki knew what memories this brought up for her or if she was just being unoriginal and copying Chris Jericho. Either way, this meant war. 

Bella slowly got to her feet, feeling the effects of being repeatedly bashed with a champagne bottle. Instead of going to the trainers' room or to Punk's locker room or bus, she decided she would check herself into a hotel room.

She did not feel like being around anyone else for at least the rest of the night.

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"Where is she!" Punk yelled as he stormed down the halls. He left catering to go to the bathroom in his locker room when Kofi burst into his room explaining what had happened to Bella.

Punk had never felt anger like he did in that moment. His breathing was heavy and he could feel his own heart pounding. 

First, he looked in catering, but it looked she had already left. He saw the champagne stain and broken shards of glass with a little blood, where the event had occurred. He shook his head as he slammed the door to catering shut. Next, he ran to his bus. She had to be on it, he thought,  but she wasn't. He sat on one of the couches with a heavy heart. He was beyond worried about her.

He tried her phone a few times to no avail. Then he called Jade.

She picked up pretty quickly.

"Jade, hey," he tried not to sound too panicked, "have you talked to Bella recently?"

"Yeah," she chuckled, he felt his shoulders relax knowing that she was okay, "a couple hours ago. Why?"

His heart rate began to pick up again as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "You weren't watching Smackdown?"

"No, I was out tonight, but I've watched every other Raw and Smackdown, I swear."

"So you don't know what happened?"

"No I don't," she said beginning to sound nervous, "Oh God, that must've been what Colt was calling me about."

"Shit," he cursed, "I can't find Bella."

"Punk, what happened?"

"Nikki Bella poured an entire bottle of champagne on her and then beat her with the bottle until it broke."

"Oh my gosh," Jade croaked, "You have to find her!"

"I'm trying. She's not on my bus or in my locker room. I have no idea where she went," he sighed, "Our best bet at finding her is you. You have to call her."

"I will."

"And let me know if she responds, as soon as she does."

"I will," she told him, "And I know you're worried about her, but Bella's strong. She'll be fine. She wouldn't want you to stress yourself out over this."