July 24th, 2024 – Niagara Falls, ON
The Decision Looming
It had only been a couple of days since he had spoken to Jaina but the conversation, they had was really eating away at him. There was some kind of message that Jaina had sent that really sparked a nerve inside him. There was always the case that no matter how badly you hated someone or how badly your situation was perceived, there was always something that was worse somewhere else that you had to reflect on. Jaina was right, Andrew only hated Amy now because of what had happened between them when their relationship ended. By all logic, their match at Rise to Greatness in 2019 should have severed that hatred; however, it was why he left SCW in the first place when their match was over. He needed that space finally, the space he had when Amy left in the first place to clear his head once again. There was such a surge of emotions after he destroyed Amy’s knee that he did not know where his head was at anymore. It was mission accomplished but what did he really accomplish? He lost the match but wrecked her career but there was still some kind of weird emptiness inside of him, five years away from the company and minimal interaction with the company or Amy herself really helped shape some perspective for him. It allowed the conversation with Jaina to come to fruition and really help shape what was going to happen, but Andrew had not clicked on it yet.
He was still conflicted though, the conversation with Jaina really struck a nerve deep inside him, there were moments where he looked at her and knew she was right, that he had held onto such a grudge for so long that even small interactions with Amy down the road were explosive and he really wondered if they needed to be that way. Why was he still holding on so tightly to what went down between them seemed like a storm brewing inside him that he just did not know whether to hold onto anymore. Between that and all the other animosity he had been building for years that went on seemed like another issue altogether and Andrew just needed to digest everything he had heard from Jaina and take it all in. When she had mentioned the kidnapping, he knew that it was a step beyond what Andrew would have ever considered when it came to his hatred towards Amy. He had hated her, but it was just for personal reasons, there would have never been a moment where he became so diabolical that he would have stooped that low. It was one thing for him to superkick Kelsi to send a message but that was simply to rattle her cage and get in her head. He had no legit reason to go after Jaina or anyone else truly personally close to Amy to send a message because it was all about her and nothing else. It changed some perspective for Andrew which resonated in the conversation that he had with Jaina which helped turn the tide on whether Andrew would listen to her and go ahead and save Amy at Rise to Greatness.
Andrew needed more soul searching.
He had decided that he needed to talk to someone that knew the history of what Andrew and Amy had gone through, there were very few people that knew the true history of their relationship and their fallout better than the man Andrew spent many years talking to. Andrew knew it would be the only way he would get a clear answer on this and the only man that would be able to have the conversation he wanted to have. Dr Vandenberg was a therapist, but he was the only one who was willing to tell Andrew how it was. Andrew knew that he needed deeper insight into this. It was not enough just talking to Jaina and being left to his own thoughts on the matter, there was a strong possibility that he would have just pushed it all aside and gone about his business, as usual, but this was different. The conversation had been eating at him for a few days, he hadn't been able to get it out of his head because of how much it meant for Jaina to reach out to him and try to reason with him to do something knowing no one else would, or could, do anything about it.
It had been a while since he had last seen the doctor; after moving to Montreal, he barely had the time to keep flying out there to meet with him. They had phone and zoom calls when needed but this felt more personal for him. Andrew needed to have this conversation face to face to be able to have the mindset on what to do. Whether Andrew likes it or not, this was a position he never wanted to find himself in but was staring him in the face. Everything he had built was coming to a screeching halt for a return he was sure he was ready to face. Even while he was speaking to Jaina, he could feel his heart racing and his mind racing over the fact that without even knowing it, Amy needed him. That was a thought he did not think he would ever have again, and its low key terrified him. This was why he needed to come back to talk to the doc. Without having that clarity, he did not know how he would approach this and wanted to have the proper direction.
He arrived at the office, but he sat inside the car for a few extra moments, he was nervous. The sweat dripped off him as his heart raced once again. IF you did not know he was nervous, he had been gripping the steering wheel a little extra tightly where the rubber was slightly peeling from it. Andrew looked a little shook over that, he looked at his palms as they came off the wheel and you could see the grime off the wheel embedded there. He wiped his hands slightly and quickly grabbed some Kleenex to wipe the sweat off his brow. He took a few deep breaths and finally got around to opening the car door. He got out and slowly closed the door, still feeling a little bit of anxiety having to face this once again. He did not like the idea that he was feeling this way which is why he was here in the first place, but this was where the path had taken him. There was a part of him that wanted to get back into the car and just drive off, avoiding this situation all together but he knew that he would be doing Jaina a great disservice if he were to avoid trying to face this. The way they spoke to each other, he knew that she had gotten to him in some way, the way that you grab a hold of a loose thread and watch the entire thing start to slowly come apart. He could sense it; it had been falling apart from the minute he left the cafe and had to get it all straightened out before it was too late. Knowing he was past the point of no return, he took another deep breath and started making his way towards the office.
He placed his hand on the door handle and took another breath, he creaked the door open slowly as he walked into the reception area. It had been a minute since he was last here, but the secretary knew him very well. She looked up and immediately took notice of him walking in, as if he had been here every day.
Secretary: It is a pleasure to see you Andrew, I hope you are well?
Andrew looked over at her, he smirked a bit but was still feeling internal tension inside of him.
Andrew: I have seen better days, thanks.
Secretary: He will be with you momentarily.
Andrew smiles over at her and he makes his way into the waiting area. He sits down a little nervously as he scuffles through a few books to look over while he waits. He anxiously looked around the office, on the outside he was looking calm and collected but, on the inside, he felt like a beaten mess. It was a mess that felt worse than being inside the ring because he really did not want to confront this. He knew that it was getting closer to the reality that there was no avoiding this. Also, it did not help that it was time sensitive because Rise to Greatness was just around the corner and Andrew did not have all that much time to really sit and decide what he wanted to do. Maybe if he had weeks or months, he could have really sat down with his thoughts and really made a cognitive decision on the matter. In this case, he only had a matter of days to figure this out, which is why he had to come here and talk to DR Vandenberg about it to sort this shit out with some assistance. IT was a basic full circle moment for Andrew, one he thought he may never have to come back around to, but he learned quickly that the past always finds a way to come back around.
After a few more moments, DVR comes out and signals for Andrew to come into his office. It had been a while since Andrew had been there, but it looked all too familiar to him. He looked around and saw the couch and the chair, he smirked after all the times he had sat on that couch and went through his transition from being the man that everyone loved to someone who became one of the most hated men in all of wrestling. It helped guide him through all those emotions and now finding himself back in the place where it started was a weird feeling for him. DVR was over at his desk getting his notes ready, it had been a few months since they had last spoken but they could easily pack up where they left off and not miss a beat. After a few moments, DVR came back over to his chair and looked over at Andrew.
DVR: Andrew, it has been a while since we last met face to face. How are you doing?
Andrew just looks down for a second, taking a deep breath. He was honestly unsure at this point. Still trying to process everything in real time while trying to get the words out was a real problem. Still though, he knew he was not going to get anywhere just sitting there saying nothing or trying to beat around the bush.
Andrew: To be honest, I was doing well up until a few days ago. Things career wise had been going well since I moved to Montreal, you were right about the change though, I have felt much better and more at peace since being out there.
DVR: I am glad to hear that, I told you that getting out of that house where everything went down would be the best thing for you. Tell me though, what ended up happening a few days ago?
Andrew knew that he had to rip the band aid off to get through this, if he just beat around it was going to be too late and he would be left up in the air with what to do. He lifts his head up and tilts it slightly over.
Andrew: So, you remember all the shit with Amy, right?
DVR: Yes.
Andrew: Well, her daughter reached out to me a few days ago and started telling me about someone who had betrayed Amy and everyone around her. She was saying that she had threatened her and put her in dangerous situations to manipulate and goad Amy into a match that puts her at risk.
DVR looks concerned, making some notes as Andrew was talking. It still felt weird to Andrew talking about this stuff, but he knew that he had to get it out there to have someone make sense of it.
DVR: And what does she want you to do?
Andrew: She wants me to intervene on Amy’s behalf, She’s pretty sure that the guy is going to go too far in trying to prove a point and she knows that everyone else that could get involved have their own shit to deal with and doesn’t want this to affect them in a way that could cost them.
DVR continues making notes, a little surprised himself that she would reach out to Andrew about something like this. He looks over at Andrew to try and read his body language as he’s talking and notices that there’s a small level of concern about him, but he can also see that there, s a ton of hesitancy as well.
DVR: I can imagine that was not something you were expecting to have her ask of you. How did you react to it?
Andrew: I just sat there, listening to her. When she was talking about how he had attempted to kidnap her there was something that resonated with that. Because I knew what had happened to her back when she was younger. For him to try something like that, just to get to Amy showed just how serious he was about trying to destroy Amy. It was hard not to walk away even though there was a part of me that really wanted to have nothing to do with it.
DVR: But you could not walk away, could you. What did you gather from her?
Andrew: I could tell how concerned she was, she knew if there was anyone else close enough to get involved, she would have gone to them. I do not want to say it was a final effort coming to me but essentially if I do not go out there and do something about it, who knows what could end up happening if the guy ends up pulling the trigger on going too far.
DVR: And that bothers you.
Andrew looked down a little, it was weird but with everything he had undergone over the last few years. There was a strong sense of letting go, he didn't want to outright admit that he was mostly over it, he knew that it was something that was important to Jaina and reaching out took a lot. If Jaina did not end up getting through to him then something could seriously happen to her and knowing Andrew could have done something was slowly eating away at him. Even though Andrew was a man that had built a reputation on hate and ruthlessness, there was still something decent within him and that is what Jaina had been hoping to get to in getting him to set aside everything that had happened between them.
Andrew: I did not think that it would, even though I ended up going to meet with Jaina to find out what was going on. I already had it in the back of my mind that it was about Amy or at least connected to her in some way. There were parts of me that begged to ignore it, but I had grown so much since then. Everything with being away from SCW, being elsewhere and then dealing with the Division just had me walking down a new path. A way to find balance between who I was and who I became. I felt like I owed it to myself to see how much I had changed.
DVR: Which is leading you to……
Andrew was looking at him leading him in the direction that he was going to end up doing it. It seemed like it would be weird being the one who needed to jump in to save Amy in some capacity. One he was not even going to be sure how it would even happen. He had little contact with SCW Management over the last five years that even getting back into the company might seem like an issue. He knew he had some leverage and some way to get back inside and given everything would be able to finagle his way back into the company. Jaina would not have reached out if Andrew did not have a way back into the company to be able to pull it off so it seemed like the only thing left would be Andrew’s internal confirmation to go through with it.
Andrew: Going to St Louis to save Amy from Simon.
DVR: You owe it to yourself to see how much you really have changed, how much you have forgiven yourself for what happened between you two and everything that happened after that. It is likely what Jaina was trying to accomplish by talking to you. You told me before that you had low key interactions that were defined which already suggests that you have slightly buried the hatchet and now you need to take it to the end. It is not even to say you need to be friends with her after that. Andrew, you do not even need to say anything to her afterwards, what is the point of changing who you are if you are still going to continue holding onto what made you who you are in the first place. You need to look deep down and ask yourself if you are going to be genuine or it is all superficial bullshit you have been asking all these years. You do not get a truly turn the corner unless you face to face and finally go all the way and bury that hatchet not for Amy but for yourself. You do not need to make this about Amy at the end of the day. You need to make this about yourself and the proof that you have become who you say you are, and you can finally find that final moment of pieces and put you on the path you rightfully want to be on.
It was more than Jaina presented but it is why Andrew had to come here in the first place. Everything he was saying really clicked inside the head of Andrew. It needed to be less about saving Amy and more about Andrew showing that he had finally let go, without having to say anything. He took a deep breath, processing everything that DVR had just said to him. It was what he needed to hear, even if Jaina was the one who started it. It certainly provided more clarity, but Andrew still really needed the time to think about it. This certainly was essential in speeding up the process given the time and certainly made things easier. It was everything Andrew could manage to help make that decision, but it certainly was a big step forward.
Andrew: You are right, it still feels so odd that this is where we are right now. One minute I was going about my life and then this curveball came out of nowhere. Though that it was meant to happen, I have been on the belief that everything happens for a reason, and I walk the path I am meant to walk. I had been going about everything one day at a time and not being concerned with what came next and maybe this is simply the next step. I appreciate you talking to me, I am certainly glad that I made the trip here to talk about this in person rather than a phone call. I will see you again soon.
Andrew gets up and DVR follows, they shake hands and then Andrew makes his way out. Andrew had the clarity he was looking for, coming here really helped put things in perspective and gave him a direction he would begin to walk down, it was only a matter of whether he would follow it through to the end.
On Camera
Andrew had found himself in a pretty good position coming into Apocalypse, on the cusp of winning one of the coveted Trios contracts that was essentially carte blanche to do whatever he wanted at any given time. It was a nice consolation from what he had originally come back to SCW for and now he was a win away from something potentially much sweeter. Good deeds can be rewarded I suppose. Andrew needed his head in the game though, knowing what he was up against he needed every bit of focus.
Given everything that has happened since I have been back, I find myself in a nice position to benefit from what I have done.
Make no mistake, there was a deep hope that the little coward would have been able to recover from his humiliation at Rise to Greatness, after everything he had said and done, to have that on moment where he looked over and saw a ghost he would have never imagined would be staring him in the face to shatter everything around him, I knew that he would be too cowardly to actually make a quick return to get what was going to keep coming to him.
Not withstanding, the benefits of my return and deeds have now given me something even better to hold on to, something more motivational to push me to a new level.
There’s a lot of motivating factors that come into play here in the Trios finals, for everyone who wants to hold onto something worthwhile and give them that little push to get over the hump. I know that you stared over at us while we were in the ring, trying to size everyone up to gain an advantage, there is an experience factor that I don’t think you are truly ready for when it comes to this final. I know that I have been away for a very long time but the way that Selena, Polly and I were able to make things work will go a long way into making your chances of winning that much harder.
Andrew smirks, he was really focused for this match and getting one of those contracts would be a big deal for him. Given that he wasn’t expecting to be involved in this, it’s a wonderful little sidestep in the right direction.
I definitely took pleasure in smashing that phone on the ground, I could see right there and then, Billy, that the phone meant a lot more to you then what was going to happen at Apocalypse when we come face to face. IT’s why Xander had to desperately pull you back and maintain control. He knows that his days are numbered, coming down the winding road where he can barely even keep pace with Selena on a good day and now having to carry a pathetic little boy more concerned about his followers than getting wins is downright laughable. However, I know that this is a world where anything can happen and its all about hitting the right move at the right time.
Though really, you all seem convinced that it’s simply going to come down to Selena carrying everything and I can imagine that you’re going to do whatever it takes, if you’re capable of it, to neutralize her and give yourselves the advantage. That would ultimately be foolish and a major mistake on your parts. I know that looking over at me and not knowing what you’re truly up against can be a little concerning, I saw that fear you all had in your eyes though. Knowing that Xander can’t get the job done, knowing that you are all really afraid of what’s coming. I could care less if you implode or not, I could care less if you think you have game plan coming into this match and how desperate you all are to try and take this away from us. We are the ones that come into this match with the momentum necessary to win this and claim those contracts. Whether you like it or not, you have to look deep down inside and ask yourselves if you truly have what it takes in order to get the job done.
Can you?
Andrew was enjoying himself, given what happened on the last Breakdown before Apocalypse, he was very motivated to get the job done. Watching them show that fear and focusing solely on Selena was an advantage for Polly and Andrew who would be able to come out of nowhere and change the trajectory of the match at a moment’s notice.
I can honestly admit that I didn’t find myself in this position purposely, the path that I was walking was going to take my focus on someone more important, someone that had been getting away with things for too long. Someone who I decided to come in and play a part in getting the job done without having to say a word. I still refuse to make that acknowledgement in that regards because it is not important.
I know that it’s eating away at her, wondering why I would have ever bothered to come out at Rise to Greatness and do what I did, just like I will come out of nowhere and steal this match when you think you have it won. There’s so much arrogance oozing from your end, Billy thinking that he’s going to ride the coattails of his partners to a win he wouldn’t even know how to handle. I may not have been back long, but this tournament has been a good sign of what to expect from the likes of you guys and what sort of path I will be required to walk in order to get to where I need to be. I am not someone who is desperate to win this, I’ll admit I feel pretty good having two former champions in my corner and someone that seemingly everyone despises which will put the focus solely on her. WE could see it when we were looking over at you, all you wanted to focus on was Selena, except for Billy who cared more about the phone I destroyed. It is easy to see where your focus will lie and what it will take in order to beat the three of you. It was a dead giveaway, a moment that allowed us to get a true sense of what it would take to beat you, and I can say that it doesn’t look good.
Call it arrogance on my part but I have been around long enough to decipher things quickly no matter how long I have been back for. It was quite easy to pick it apart and know what to expect.
Andrew smirked again; he had a level of confidence in his voice that he had been missing for a little while. While this was unexpected, this became something that was important to him because it would allow him to chart a path on his terms, something he has been missing for awhile. While it was easy for him to just walk the path given, taking that shortcut and truly creating his own path was one that was very motivating for him, one he wasn’t planning on letting go of.
I know that this is important to some of you, almost a last ditch effort to be relevant, we saw that desperation in your eyes when we were staring back at you, knowing that you would have a major mountain to climb in order to get the job done. We know that we have a strong chance going into this. It’s simply a matter of how far you are willing to go in order to try and beat us.
Make one wrong move and the glass will shatter around you and with that, your chances of taking these contracts from us. We have what it takes in order to get the job done, ask yourselves if you can say the same.
The Decision Looming
It had only been a couple of days since he had spoken to Jaina but the conversation, they had was really eating away at him. There was some kind of message that Jaina had sent that really sparked a nerve inside him. There was always the case that no matter how badly you hated someone or how badly your situation was perceived, there was always something that was worse somewhere else that you had to reflect on. Jaina was right, Andrew only hated Amy now because of what had happened between them when their relationship ended. By all logic, their match at Rise to Greatness in 2019 should have severed that hatred; however, it was why he left SCW in the first place when their match was over. He needed that space finally, the space he had when Amy left in the first place to clear his head once again. There was such a surge of emotions after he destroyed Amy’s knee that he did not know where his head was at anymore. It was mission accomplished but what did he really accomplish? He lost the match but wrecked her career but there was still some kind of weird emptiness inside of him, five years away from the company and minimal interaction with the company or Amy herself really helped shape some perspective for him. It allowed the conversation with Jaina to come to fruition and really help shape what was going to happen, but Andrew had not clicked on it yet.
He was still conflicted though, the conversation with Jaina really struck a nerve deep inside him, there were moments where he looked at her and knew she was right, that he had held onto such a grudge for so long that even small interactions with Amy down the road were explosive and he really wondered if they needed to be that way. Why was he still holding on so tightly to what went down between them seemed like a storm brewing inside him that he just did not know whether to hold onto anymore. Between that and all the other animosity he had been building for years that went on seemed like another issue altogether and Andrew just needed to digest everything he had heard from Jaina and take it all in. When she had mentioned the kidnapping, he knew that it was a step beyond what Andrew would have ever considered when it came to his hatred towards Amy. He had hated her, but it was just for personal reasons, there would have never been a moment where he became so diabolical that he would have stooped that low. It was one thing for him to superkick Kelsi to send a message but that was simply to rattle her cage and get in her head. He had no legit reason to go after Jaina or anyone else truly personally close to Amy to send a message because it was all about her and nothing else. It changed some perspective for Andrew which resonated in the conversation that he had with Jaina which helped turn the tide on whether Andrew would listen to her and go ahead and save Amy at Rise to Greatness.
Andrew needed more soul searching.
He had decided that he needed to talk to someone that knew the history of what Andrew and Amy had gone through, there were very few people that knew the true history of their relationship and their fallout better than the man Andrew spent many years talking to. Andrew knew it would be the only way he would get a clear answer on this and the only man that would be able to have the conversation he wanted to have. Dr Vandenberg was a therapist, but he was the only one who was willing to tell Andrew how it was. Andrew knew that he needed deeper insight into this. It was not enough just talking to Jaina and being left to his own thoughts on the matter, there was a strong possibility that he would have just pushed it all aside and gone about his business, as usual, but this was different. The conversation had been eating at him for a few days, he hadn't been able to get it out of his head because of how much it meant for Jaina to reach out to him and try to reason with him to do something knowing no one else would, or could, do anything about it.
It had been a while since he had last seen the doctor; after moving to Montreal, he barely had the time to keep flying out there to meet with him. They had phone and zoom calls when needed but this felt more personal for him. Andrew needed to have this conversation face to face to be able to have the mindset on what to do. Whether Andrew likes it or not, this was a position he never wanted to find himself in but was staring him in the face. Everything he had built was coming to a screeching halt for a return he was sure he was ready to face. Even while he was speaking to Jaina, he could feel his heart racing and his mind racing over the fact that without even knowing it, Amy needed him. That was a thought he did not think he would ever have again, and its low key terrified him. This was why he needed to come back to talk to the doc. Without having that clarity, he did not know how he would approach this and wanted to have the proper direction.
He arrived at the office, but he sat inside the car for a few extra moments, he was nervous. The sweat dripped off him as his heart raced once again. IF you did not know he was nervous, he had been gripping the steering wheel a little extra tightly where the rubber was slightly peeling from it. Andrew looked a little shook over that, he looked at his palms as they came off the wheel and you could see the grime off the wheel embedded there. He wiped his hands slightly and quickly grabbed some Kleenex to wipe the sweat off his brow. He took a few deep breaths and finally got around to opening the car door. He got out and slowly closed the door, still feeling a little bit of anxiety having to face this once again. He did not like the idea that he was feeling this way which is why he was here in the first place, but this was where the path had taken him. There was a part of him that wanted to get back into the car and just drive off, avoiding this situation all together but he knew that he would be doing Jaina a great disservice if he were to avoid trying to face this. The way they spoke to each other, he knew that she had gotten to him in some way, the way that you grab a hold of a loose thread and watch the entire thing start to slowly come apart. He could sense it; it had been falling apart from the minute he left the cafe and had to get it all straightened out before it was too late. Knowing he was past the point of no return, he took another deep breath and started making his way towards the office.
He placed his hand on the door handle and took another breath, he creaked the door open slowly as he walked into the reception area. It had been a minute since he was last here, but the secretary knew him very well. She looked up and immediately took notice of him walking in, as if he had been here every day.
Secretary: It is a pleasure to see you Andrew, I hope you are well?
Andrew looked over at her, he smirked a bit but was still feeling internal tension inside of him.
Andrew: I have seen better days, thanks.
Secretary: He will be with you momentarily.
Andrew smiles over at her and he makes his way into the waiting area. He sits down a little nervously as he scuffles through a few books to look over while he waits. He anxiously looked around the office, on the outside he was looking calm and collected but, on the inside, he felt like a beaten mess. It was a mess that felt worse than being inside the ring because he really did not want to confront this. He knew that it was getting closer to the reality that there was no avoiding this. Also, it did not help that it was time sensitive because Rise to Greatness was just around the corner and Andrew did not have all that much time to really sit and decide what he wanted to do. Maybe if he had weeks or months, he could have really sat down with his thoughts and really made a cognitive decision on the matter. In this case, he only had a matter of days to figure this out, which is why he had to come here and talk to DR Vandenberg about it to sort this shit out with some assistance. IT was a basic full circle moment for Andrew, one he thought he may never have to come back around to, but he learned quickly that the past always finds a way to come back around.
After a few more moments, DVR comes out and signals for Andrew to come into his office. It had been a while since Andrew had been there, but it looked all too familiar to him. He looked around and saw the couch and the chair, he smirked after all the times he had sat on that couch and went through his transition from being the man that everyone loved to someone who became one of the most hated men in all of wrestling. It helped guide him through all those emotions and now finding himself back in the place where it started was a weird feeling for him. DVR was over at his desk getting his notes ready, it had been a few months since they had last spoken but they could easily pack up where they left off and not miss a beat. After a few moments, DVR came back over to his chair and looked over at Andrew.
DVR: Andrew, it has been a while since we last met face to face. How are you doing?
Andrew just looks down for a second, taking a deep breath. He was honestly unsure at this point. Still trying to process everything in real time while trying to get the words out was a real problem. Still though, he knew he was not going to get anywhere just sitting there saying nothing or trying to beat around the bush.
Andrew: To be honest, I was doing well up until a few days ago. Things career wise had been going well since I moved to Montreal, you were right about the change though, I have felt much better and more at peace since being out there.
DVR: I am glad to hear that, I told you that getting out of that house where everything went down would be the best thing for you. Tell me though, what ended up happening a few days ago?
Andrew knew that he had to rip the band aid off to get through this, if he just beat around it was going to be too late and he would be left up in the air with what to do. He lifts his head up and tilts it slightly over.
Andrew: So, you remember all the shit with Amy, right?
DVR: Yes.
Andrew: Well, her daughter reached out to me a few days ago and started telling me about someone who had betrayed Amy and everyone around her. She was saying that she had threatened her and put her in dangerous situations to manipulate and goad Amy into a match that puts her at risk.
DVR looks concerned, making some notes as Andrew was talking. It still felt weird to Andrew talking about this stuff, but he knew that he had to get it out there to have someone make sense of it.
DVR: And what does she want you to do?
Andrew: She wants me to intervene on Amy’s behalf, She’s pretty sure that the guy is going to go too far in trying to prove a point and she knows that everyone else that could get involved have their own shit to deal with and doesn’t want this to affect them in a way that could cost them.
DVR continues making notes, a little surprised himself that she would reach out to Andrew about something like this. He looks over at Andrew to try and read his body language as he’s talking and notices that there’s a small level of concern about him, but he can also see that there, s a ton of hesitancy as well.
DVR: I can imagine that was not something you were expecting to have her ask of you. How did you react to it?
Andrew: I just sat there, listening to her. When she was talking about how he had attempted to kidnap her there was something that resonated with that. Because I knew what had happened to her back when she was younger. For him to try something like that, just to get to Amy showed just how serious he was about trying to destroy Amy. It was hard not to walk away even though there was a part of me that really wanted to have nothing to do with it.
DVR: But you could not walk away, could you. What did you gather from her?
Andrew: I could tell how concerned she was, she knew if there was anyone else close enough to get involved, she would have gone to them. I do not want to say it was a final effort coming to me but essentially if I do not go out there and do something about it, who knows what could end up happening if the guy ends up pulling the trigger on going too far.
DVR: And that bothers you.
Andrew looked down a little, it was weird but with everything he had undergone over the last few years. There was a strong sense of letting go, he didn't want to outright admit that he was mostly over it, he knew that it was something that was important to Jaina and reaching out took a lot. If Jaina did not end up getting through to him then something could seriously happen to her and knowing Andrew could have done something was slowly eating away at him. Even though Andrew was a man that had built a reputation on hate and ruthlessness, there was still something decent within him and that is what Jaina had been hoping to get to in getting him to set aside everything that had happened between them.
Andrew: I did not think that it would, even though I ended up going to meet with Jaina to find out what was going on. I already had it in the back of my mind that it was about Amy or at least connected to her in some way. There were parts of me that begged to ignore it, but I had grown so much since then. Everything with being away from SCW, being elsewhere and then dealing with the Division just had me walking down a new path. A way to find balance between who I was and who I became. I felt like I owed it to myself to see how much I had changed.
DVR: Which is leading you to……
Andrew was looking at him leading him in the direction that he was going to end up doing it. It seemed like it would be weird being the one who needed to jump in to save Amy in some capacity. One he was not even going to be sure how it would even happen. He had little contact with SCW Management over the last five years that even getting back into the company might seem like an issue. He knew he had some leverage and some way to get back inside and given everything would be able to finagle his way back into the company. Jaina would not have reached out if Andrew did not have a way back into the company to be able to pull it off so it seemed like the only thing left would be Andrew’s internal confirmation to go through with it.
Andrew: Going to St Louis to save Amy from Simon.
DVR: You owe it to yourself to see how much you really have changed, how much you have forgiven yourself for what happened between you two and everything that happened after that. It is likely what Jaina was trying to accomplish by talking to you. You told me before that you had low key interactions that were defined which already suggests that you have slightly buried the hatchet and now you need to take it to the end. It is not even to say you need to be friends with her after that. Andrew, you do not even need to say anything to her afterwards, what is the point of changing who you are if you are still going to continue holding onto what made you who you are in the first place. You need to look deep down and ask yourself if you are going to be genuine or it is all superficial bullshit you have been asking all these years. You do not get a truly turn the corner unless you face to face and finally go all the way and bury that hatchet not for Amy but for yourself. You do not need to make this about Amy at the end of the day. You need to make this about yourself and the proof that you have become who you say you are, and you can finally find that final moment of pieces and put you on the path you rightfully want to be on.
It was more than Jaina presented but it is why Andrew had to come here in the first place. Everything he was saying really clicked inside the head of Andrew. It needed to be less about saving Amy and more about Andrew showing that he had finally let go, without having to say anything. He took a deep breath, processing everything that DVR had just said to him. It was what he needed to hear, even if Jaina was the one who started it. It certainly provided more clarity, but Andrew still really needed the time to think about it. This certainly was essential in speeding up the process given the time and certainly made things easier. It was everything Andrew could manage to help make that decision, but it certainly was a big step forward.
Andrew: You are right, it still feels so odd that this is where we are right now. One minute I was going about my life and then this curveball came out of nowhere. Though that it was meant to happen, I have been on the belief that everything happens for a reason, and I walk the path I am meant to walk. I had been going about everything one day at a time and not being concerned with what came next and maybe this is simply the next step. I appreciate you talking to me, I am certainly glad that I made the trip here to talk about this in person rather than a phone call. I will see you again soon.
Andrew gets up and DVR follows, they shake hands and then Andrew makes his way out. Andrew had the clarity he was looking for, coming here really helped put things in perspective and gave him a direction he would begin to walk down, it was only a matter of whether he would follow it through to the end.
On Camera
Andrew had found himself in a pretty good position coming into Apocalypse, on the cusp of winning one of the coveted Trios contracts that was essentially carte blanche to do whatever he wanted at any given time. It was a nice consolation from what he had originally come back to SCW for and now he was a win away from something potentially much sweeter. Good deeds can be rewarded I suppose. Andrew needed his head in the game though, knowing what he was up against he needed every bit of focus.
Given everything that has happened since I have been back, I find myself in a nice position to benefit from what I have done.
Make no mistake, there was a deep hope that the little coward would have been able to recover from his humiliation at Rise to Greatness, after everything he had said and done, to have that on moment where he looked over and saw a ghost he would have never imagined would be staring him in the face to shatter everything around him, I knew that he would be too cowardly to actually make a quick return to get what was going to keep coming to him.
Not withstanding, the benefits of my return and deeds have now given me something even better to hold on to, something more motivational to push me to a new level.
There’s a lot of motivating factors that come into play here in the Trios finals, for everyone who wants to hold onto something worthwhile and give them that little push to get over the hump. I know that you stared over at us while we were in the ring, trying to size everyone up to gain an advantage, there is an experience factor that I don’t think you are truly ready for when it comes to this final. I know that I have been away for a very long time but the way that Selena, Polly and I were able to make things work will go a long way into making your chances of winning that much harder.
Andrew smirks, he was really focused for this match and getting one of those contracts would be a big deal for him. Given that he wasn’t expecting to be involved in this, it’s a wonderful little sidestep in the right direction.
I definitely took pleasure in smashing that phone on the ground, I could see right there and then, Billy, that the phone meant a lot more to you then what was going to happen at Apocalypse when we come face to face. IT’s why Xander had to desperately pull you back and maintain control. He knows that his days are numbered, coming down the winding road where he can barely even keep pace with Selena on a good day and now having to carry a pathetic little boy more concerned about his followers than getting wins is downright laughable. However, I know that this is a world where anything can happen and its all about hitting the right move at the right time.
Though really, you all seem convinced that it’s simply going to come down to Selena carrying everything and I can imagine that you’re going to do whatever it takes, if you’re capable of it, to neutralize her and give yourselves the advantage. That would ultimately be foolish and a major mistake on your parts. I know that looking over at me and not knowing what you’re truly up against can be a little concerning, I saw that fear you all had in your eyes though. Knowing that Xander can’t get the job done, knowing that you are all really afraid of what’s coming. I could care less if you implode or not, I could care less if you think you have game plan coming into this match and how desperate you all are to try and take this away from us. We are the ones that come into this match with the momentum necessary to win this and claim those contracts. Whether you like it or not, you have to look deep down inside and ask yourselves if you truly have what it takes in order to get the job done.
Can you?
Andrew was enjoying himself, given what happened on the last Breakdown before Apocalypse, he was very motivated to get the job done. Watching them show that fear and focusing solely on Selena was an advantage for Polly and Andrew who would be able to come out of nowhere and change the trajectory of the match at a moment’s notice.
I can honestly admit that I didn’t find myself in this position purposely, the path that I was walking was going to take my focus on someone more important, someone that had been getting away with things for too long. Someone who I decided to come in and play a part in getting the job done without having to say a word. I still refuse to make that acknowledgement in that regards because it is not important.
I know that it’s eating away at her, wondering why I would have ever bothered to come out at Rise to Greatness and do what I did, just like I will come out of nowhere and steal this match when you think you have it won. There’s so much arrogance oozing from your end, Billy thinking that he’s going to ride the coattails of his partners to a win he wouldn’t even know how to handle. I may not have been back long, but this tournament has been a good sign of what to expect from the likes of you guys and what sort of path I will be required to walk in order to get to where I need to be. I am not someone who is desperate to win this, I’ll admit I feel pretty good having two former champions in my corner and someone that seemingly everyone despises which will put the focus solely on her. WE could see it when we were looking over at you, all you wanted to focus on was Selena, except for Billy who cared more about the phone I destroyed. It is easy to see where your focus will lie and what it will take in order to beat the three of you. It was a dead giveaway, a moment that allowed us to get a true sense of what it would take to beat you, and I can say that it doesn’t look good.
Call it arrogance on my part but I have been around long enough to decipher things quickly no matter how long I have been back for. It was quite easy to pick it apart and know what to expect.
Andrew smirked again; he had a level of confidence in his voice that he had been missing for a little while. While this was unexpected, this became something that was important to him because it would allow him to chart a path on his terms, something he has been missing for awhile. While it was easy for him to just walk the path given, taking that shortcut and truly creating his own path was one that was very motivating for him, one he wasn’t planning on letting go of.
I know that this is important to some of you, almost a last ditch effort to be relevant, we saw that desperation in your eyes when we were staring back at you, knowing that you would have a major mountain to climb in order to get the job done. We know that we have a strong chance going into this. It’s simply a matter of how far you are willing to go in order to try and beat us.
Make one wrong move and the glass will shatter around you and with that, your chances of taking these contracts from us. We have what it takes in order to get the job done, ask yourselves if you can say the same.
The Code Of The Sith
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.