All My Life

[Joe Everyman]

All my life I've been searching for something
Something never comes never leads to nothing
Nothing satisfies but I'm getting close
Closer to the prize at the end of the rope
All night long I dream of the day
When it comes around and it's taken away
Leaves me with the feeling that I feel the most
Feel it come to life when I see your ghost

This week. This fucking week. This week needs to get over quick. The suspense of not knowing is what's killing me the most. Not knowing who will walk out of Lineage the first IWF Imperial Champion. Not knowing if I can finally finish my life long dream of becoming the World Champion. Or not knowing if I managed to let myself and everybody else down, and lose again. It has happened too many times now. Too many times have I failed and had absolutely nothing to show for it. It's happened to me more times than the other three in this match combined. And yet, some people still think that I can get over this hump, that I can finally get to the promise land and finally win the big one. And despite all of these people's support, I've never been able to quite do it.

I carry the hopes and dreams of millions on my shoulders, because if I can do it, they believe they could do it too. My family and friends always cheer me on. Hell, even my rivals cheer me on sometimes. Because they all believe that I can finally win the big one. Some days, I fear when I could get into another big match like this one, because of my track record of losing in them. But this time... this time is different. I do not fear this time. I do not wince when I see those other three men. I do not cower like I would have in the past. I fight on, stepping forward into the mouth of Hell itself, not knowing what will be on the other side.

Throughout it all, throughout all of the support, there has always been one person who has never given up on me. One person, who has always thought I could do it. Even if their voice was silent, I could still hear it chanting my name, pushing me forward towards absolution. And that's person... was me.

In this industry, we will make and lose friends. Win and lose championships. Find prosperity, and be stabbed in the back. Be at the top, and be at the very bottom. And I've been through it all... except for one thing. I have never been at the very top. And even though I've been so damn close I could taste it, I have never given up on myself. So many think that I have, but I haven't. Not even once, not even for a second. Not a single person in this match has been inside of my head and seen the things that I see on a daily basis. They can make claims about how I view myself all they want, but they will never see the truth.

Cable, I have never gotten in my own way. I have always seen myself as good. I have never stopped believing in myself. I know that you say these things to try and get into my head, but you can take it all and shove it right up your ass! You can act like you know me, but you don't. Just like I truly don't know you inside and out. We can only get what we see on the outside. We can only see the man that we put forth and let the world see. And Cable, when I see you from the outside... I see a man who will never be good enough.

You ask these questions, like what will I do if I lose. How will I respond to another big defeat. Do you want the truth? I won't do a damn thing, because it's not going to happen. You see the things I've done in the ring as some shining example of who I am now. And you automatically believe that I will just roll over like a dog. I will not just give in and lose to you, Cable. Because I am better than you.

And do you know why I am better than you, Cable? Because I have a stronger heart than you! I have a heart that is bigger than you can even dream of being! My heart is far from being dead! The only thing that will be dead this Sunday will be your hopes and dreams of every being ANYTHING for this company!

So when we get into the ring this Sunday and finally face off, I want you to look me right into the eyes. I want you to see the fire behind them! I want you to see the fire that's burning inside of my heart! And then I want you to ask yourself ONE simple question, you fucking son of a BITCH!

Who's heart is truly dead?

The scene slowly opens up inside of the Joe Everyman household. The clock on the darkened wall reads just past three in the morning. The door slowly opens, letting in a flood moon and street light. Joe walks into the room, fairly steady for saying where he was going. He slowly closes the door behind him to not make any extra noise. He quietly walks over to the coffee table and looks down at it, seeing the cell phone of his that he left behind. He looks at it for a moment before a small red LED light blinks on the front of it. He reaches down and picks it up and unlocks the screen. Upon checking the notification's bar, he sees he has fourteen text messages, eleven missed calls and one voice mail. His eyes light up as his face is lit up by the light of the phone.

Joe Everyman: Oh... crap.

He looks through the text messages. Several from Melanie, several from his sister, several from his father. Every message is a desperate plea to Joe, telling him to get to the hospital as quickly as he can. His eyes are unwavering, unblinking. He stares at the messages before calling his voicemail. His hand shakes as he presses the speakerphone button on the face of the phone.

Melanie Brooks: Joe... please pick up. I've tried you a few times already. Why aren't you picking up? I know you're mad at me, and I know how stressed out you are right now... but please... I need you right now. I need you. The babies are on the way right now! I'm at the hospital, I made it here safe and sound and Aurora is here with me. But please... I can't do this alone. I need you. I love you, Joe. Please... hurry.

Joe, without any hesitation at all, gets up from the couch and runs towards the front door. He opens it and swings it shut behind him. The sound of his Escalade outside can be heard starting up as he quickly speeds away from his house. The scene then slowly fades to black.

Mike Laszlo. If there was anybody in this match that was going to be the dark horse, it was going to be you. You're the one person who everybody looks at and doesn't automatically assume that you're suppose to be here. Lex Sense is suppose to be here. And begrudgingly, Cable Arcane is suppose to be here. But you... you lack some things that would normally fit yourself into this match. You lack vision and you lack sight. You lack the eyes needed to see your opponents for what they really are. And you also lack the ears needed to hear what we say. Not caring what we have to say is going to be your biggest downfall.

We all have our points, we all have our justifications, and if you are too scared to see them for what they are, then you do not belong in this match. I have had to man up to some harsh truths this week. Cable has, and hell, even Lex has. And yet, you stand there as if you are fucking perfect. Well, let me tell you something, bucko. Nobody is perfect. I know that for damn sure. You can stand there and try to shield yourself from the negative comments and shower yourself with the positives, but eventually, you will be swallowed up by it. I know, because I've been there.

Laszlo, I don't want anybody to end up like how I used to be. I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy. And I do not want you to end up there. You're a good guy, albeit a dense one. You have some good skills. But now, you need to man up and face some truths. There's only one person out of the four of us who has the determination to take down Lex Sense, and that's me. I just do not see it in your cards. You will put up one hell of a fight against the behemoth, but we all know that you don't stand a chance of actually besting him. And that's ok. He is a beast, and has taken down a lot of great wrestlers in the past.

You will rebound and come back, guns a' blazin' and you'll have a great chance next time too. Just keep working at it, kiddo. As soon as you see yourself for who you are, and realize these truths that we have said about you, you will be able to become a better version of yourself. All you need to do is listen, see and fix the mistakes from your past. After you do these, the sky's the limit!

...but, not this week. You see Mike, throughout all of your bickering, you failed to see the biggest star in the night's sky... me. You may not care for what I have to say, but I'm going to make you hear it anyway.

You are going to lose. You may have what it takes to make it out on a normal show, but on a pay per view of this size, in a match of this caliber, for the gold as sweet as this, you just do not have what it takes. I know you want it, I know you crave it... but this Sunday will NOT be your day. In the end, you will fail. In the end, you will lose. And no matter how hard you try, you will just get a pat on your back and a 'better luck next time'. For now, that's what your legacy will be. Now do you care what we have to say?

The scene reopens inside of a hospital room. Melanie lays in the raised bed, her breathing labored but steady. Aurora sits in a bedside chair, looking very concerned for Melanie. After a few moments, a nurse walks into the room with a clipboard.

Nurse: Ok Melanie, we're going to move you down into the delivery room now. You're nearly there by our count. The room is all prepped and ready for your arrival.

Before answering, Melanie picks up her phone and looks at it for a moment. She closes her eyes and sighs, letting out some stress from the evening in it.

Melanie Brooks: Ok... let's get going.

The nurse walks over and unlocks the wheels on the bed and rolls it out of the room. Aurora hastily follows them down the hallway. After a short trip down a hallway, the bed is pushed through a set of doors. After a few more passed doors, the nurse turns the bed into an open delivery room. The camera quickly follows as Aurora runs into the room as well. Upon entering, Joe can be seen sitting in a chair next to where the bed will go. He quickly stands up and sees his fiance.

Joe Everyman: You didn't think I would actually miss this, did you?

Melanie can barely contain her emotions as she sees Joe standing there. She manages to mouth the words 'I love you' to him, as he does the same to her. The camera then slowly backs out of the room as the nurse places the bed into it's resting spot. The door slowly swings shut as the scene fades to black.

Lex Sense. I've had my piece with Cable and Mike, and now... it's finally your turn.

It's been a long time coming this, don't you think? We've been by at each others side and at each others throats. We've been at the top and we've been at the bottom. And we were always the two in nCw who could never quite win the big one, despite us trying our heart's out at every chance we got. We are more similar than you want to admit. Even though I am a man who is trying to make sure my family is safe, and you are a man who is trying to change the world... we are similar.

And now, finally, we have a chance to prove who is the better man.

I know it's not a guarantee that it will be you and I in the finals, but that is exactly how I see it going down, because it was be the perfect match. I have come to learn recently that there is no such thing as a perfect life, and that there is no such thing as a fairy tail ending. But sometimes... sometimes the stars aline and you get what you want. I almost drank myself into a stupor earlier today and I almost missed the birth of my two boys. One red light would have cost me that moment. One wrong turn would have cost me that moment. One more drink would have cost me that moment.

But... they didn't. I managed to make it to the hospital on time. I managed to be there for my living fiance, so she didn't have to face the fear of going it alone. And even if it was just for a moment... life was perfect again.

And tomorrow night, I have a chance at having a fairy tail ending again. I want to fight you in the finals Lex, because I need it to happen.

I will beat you, because I need it to happen.

And I will become the first ever Imperial Champion... because I need it to happen.

All my life, I have been working towards this one moment. All my life, I've been searching for the right lines, the right moves, the right path, to finally become champion. And all of my life, I have taken the wrong steps, said the wrong things and ended up on the wrong path, at a dead end.

All of that changes at Lineage.

I know every single person is going to doubt me. I know that every single person is going to say that, thanks to the past, I won't be able to change. That I haven't done anything to back up what I've said. At Lineage, I finally do what I need to do to back those things up. I finally put a stop to all of the jabs and the jokes about my career. I finally put an end to the quips and the badmouthing about how I can never finish in the big match. I finally put an end to this old Joe Everyman and finally become the one who they all said would never happen.

I finally become Joe Everyman, World Champion.

I will have to go through two men to accomplish this feat. Cable, I have had my words with you. I will show you once and for all that you DO NOT question my heart!

And then it's onto either Mike Laszlo or Lex Sense. One of you will stand in my way of greatness. Of legend. Of immortality.

And in the end, when all of the lines shine bright, when the crowd is on their feet and when that final bell rings... one man will be standing proud. One man will be standing above all others. One man will be holding the Imperial Championship high above his head. And that man...

Will. Be. Me.

All my life I've been searching for something... something never comes never leads to nothing... nothing satisfies but I'm getting close... closer to the prize at the end of the rope.

All of my life, I've dreamed of becoming the World Champion. And every time I have tried... I have failed. At Lineage, I change my lineage and finally change my fortune. I become the man they all said I could be. I become the man that I have always wanted to be. I become the man that they always believed I could.

I finally become the man that I believe I can become.

I become the first Imperial Champion.

And you will NEVER question my heart again!!

Will I find a believer
Another one who believes
Another one to deceive
Over and over down on my knees
If I get any closer
And if you open up wide
And if you let me inside
On and on I've got nothing to hide