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SMACKDOWN - October 18th, 2024 - Columbia, South Carolina
He had watched the clip about a hundred times now. After he left Smackdown, he got back to his hotel and he watched what he missed. Roman didn’t want him and Jey didn’t want to help, but when he saw the ending, when he saw Roman acknowledge Solo, he felt his heart stop.
Of course, it might not have been what Solo wanted because he obviously asked for more. He wanted Roman to acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief.
And then it just spiraled.
He should have been there. He should have been there for Jimmy. He doesn't forgive Jimmy for everything that caused him to finally break free from the Bloodline, but that is his twin. That was his twin being pulled around and used against their cousin by their little brother and cousins.
Jey hovered over Jimmy’s number. He thought of calling Jimmy to see how he was, but he hesitated. He rested his phone against his forehead and took several deep breaths. He didn’t know what to do.
His eyes fell on his title, sitting on the table when he lowered his phone to his lap. He had worked for that title. He bled. He sweated. He cried. It was his. He did it on his own. No Jimmy. No Roman. No Bloodline. He beat man after man for that title and he would defend it until he couldn’t anymore.
And yet, he found himself stuck in this purgatory that was the Bloodline. It was his family, after all. He couldn’t just turn on them completely.
His phone started to ring and he glanced at it. The picture of his girl smiled up at him.
Rhea.
Jey sighed, a soft smile on his lips as he looked at the picture. She was calling him and he was more than happy to hear from her. She must have seen what happened.
He answered the phone and Rhea’s panicked face appeared, “Jey.”
“Hey, boo,” Jey greeted, sounding a bit dejected, but still smiling, “Always good to see you.”
She smiled softly, but he saw she was still worried, “Hey, uce.”
They were quiet as they stared at each other through the screens. He saw all the questions she wanted to ask present in her eyes. He could laugh. She was always thinking too much. He liked that about her though.
“Just ask, Rhea.”
She leaned forward a bit, “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to go to Smackdown? You just got back from the UK and then you went to a game with Punk and Jackie. Aren’t you exhausted?”
He did laugh. She was starting easy. It wasn’t what she really wanted to ask. God, he was smitten to no end with Rhea Ripley.
“Extremely,” Jey nodded, “I could sleep for days. But I gotta take a flight tomorrow to get home and then a day later, we’re in Philly. Tempted to just cancel my flight and book one for Sunday to Philly just so I can get some sleep. There is a Waffle House nearby.”
She giggled, shaking her head, “You and Waffle House. I’m worried about your arteries.”
“You never gotta worry about my heart. It’ll always beat for you, boo,” Jey replied with a grin.
Rhea covered her eyes, but her bright smile was perfectly in view, “Christ, that was greasier than the hash browns.”
“But you love me still,” Jey said.
Rhea dropped her hand and looked at Jey. She didn’t agree, she just smiled at him. She wasn’t ready to say it yet, but he could wait. Seeing her smile was enough.
They were quiet and Jey studied her face. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but she didn’t usually unless she was doing press or a show. She was wearing an oversized shirt and her hair was brushed back in a messy ponytail. He saw the newest tattoo right there by her ear. He saw the picture in instagram and sent her a text that simply had a melting emoji.
“Nice tattoo,” he smiled.
Her fingers went to touch it slightly and she shrugged, “Thanks. Always wanted a face tattoo. Think our boss will be pissed?”
Jey shrugged, “Probably.”
Rhea shrugged too and crossed his arms, “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. I get to see you,” Jey offered and Rhea shook her head, “About how Smackdown ended or seeing Roman?”
“Both.”
“Seeing Roman… was difficult, uce. He said he was proud of me. That everyone was, but…,” Jey trailed off.
“But he didn’t apologize.”
Jey shook his head. He looked away from his screen and looked up at his title again. It did feel good to hear Roman say it. He stood in front of his Tribal Chief and he had a title on his arm. Roman didn’t. Roman used to hold multiple titles at once. He dominated the WWE. Now he had nothing and Jey had everything he could want.
“You and Jimmy… are you guys good?”
“Sort of. I was so pissed on Monday because he comes to my show trying to hear him out? Nah. I’m not about that, but it felt good to come to Smackdown, surprise everyone and get them chanting and putting my little bro in his place,” Jey smiled at the screen again, but it didn’t last, “But I should have been there for Jimmy.”
Rhea nodded. She was frowning. He didn’t like to see her frown, especially when it was because something he had going on. He only wanted her to smile around him, but she loved so much and so deeply and she felt for the people she cared for and she wanted to be there for them. He had so much respect for Rhea.
“You know what drives me crazy about all of this?” Jey asked, looking at her. When she nodded, he looked away and sighed, “Roman’s not going to change.”
“What makes you say that?”
Jey frowned. He knew Roman. He was raised beside Roman. He shook his head, “He didn’t apologize. He said he was proud of me. That everyone was, but it was just another game to him. Another manipulation to confuse me and pull me back in. And when it came to Solo, he lost it. He yelled at him because he wouldn’t give up his spot as Tribal Chief. He did earn it. I’ll give Roman that. It was given to him. That’s how it works. You don’t usurp the Tribal Chief.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. His face contorted in anger as he thought about it, “And instead of going to get Jimmy, he picked up the fucking Ula Fala. He picked himself over Jimmy. That’s how I know he won’t change.”
Rhea was quiet. Jey felt like he was going to lose it as he thought about it. He should have been there for Jimmy because no one else would be. Especially not Roman.
“Jey.”
He looked at her. She offered him a small smile, “You’re going to make the right choice. I don’t know what that choice is. It’s not my place to say, but I believe in you. I’ll be there for you. And on Monday, when I see you, I’ll give you the biggest hug and the biggest kiss.”
Jey smiled then. He saw the way she smiled back at him. He really couldn’t get enough of Rhea. Honestly, hearing those words made him feel less confused. He hadn’t decided what he wanted to do, but he knew Rhea had his back and it felt comforting to know she was in his corner.
He knew going to Smackdown was him putting himself back in a situation he wanted to be out of. He just wanted it to end. He didn’t like seeing his family torn like this. He missed his brothers and he kissed his cousin, but he didn’t miss how the Bloodline made him feel. He deserved to be his own man, but he knew he couldn’t turn his back on his family.
Jey had a fear that come Monday, Solo was going to pull something. He did threaten his little brother and his cousin. He meant it, but he didn’t have backup either. If the new Bloodline came to Raw, he made too many enemies. Bron Breakker, the Judgement Day and Seth Rollins, apparently. Any of them could easily let the Bloodline in. Tick for tat.
But he also made a new family on Raw. He met people he would always have in his corner. It’s where Sami was. Sure, he had his time with Cody too, but Cody had his own shit on Smackdown to deal with.There was the New Day, or maybe just Kofi and of course, the Terror Twins. He had Rhea. It was really enough to know she was there.
“I’ll hold you to that, Rhea.”