Fade

[Dre Cutler]

"I have to ask..."

Dre Cutler, clad in a pair of black Nike shorts and a white t-shirt, sets the meal tray on the table while simultaneously sliding into his side of the booth.

"I don't blame you..."

Her voice so innocent, so tender -- her words trail off towards the end as if she ran out of air prior to completing her statement. Kelsey Grace; there's something about her, it's truly as if the light always hits her face perfectly, requiring everyone around her to squint through her undeniable beauty. She's wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a purple shirt -- she shirt, however, is tightly wrapped around a perfectly rounded belly.

Dre Cutler: Is it -- or I mean, is she, or he -- is...

Kelsey turns sideways and eases her body into the booth. Dre watches intently, concern on his face as he's unsure if there's something he should be doing to make the process easier on her. She squirms around; adjusting herself to the closest point of comfort she can reach before raising her eyes and making contact with Dre's.

About a week ago, she called him -- out of the blue -- and they spoke for the first time in many months. They were unofficially official for a short while, until Dre stumbled onto undeniable facts that she was seeing someone else behind his back. And while they spoke briefly on the phone, further contact and interaction had to be put on hold while Dre attended to work responsibilities. And today's the first day they've met in person since becoming reacquainted -- and serves as Dre's first introduction to the fact that Kelsey Grace is pregnant.

Kelsey Grace: Is she yours?

Dre Cutler: (nodding) Ye-- yeah, is she -- is she mine?

Kelsey Grace's mind races through varying degrees of an answer; the honest truth is the baby very well could be Dre's, but Kelsey's more convinced it belongs to the asshole she was seeing when things fell apart between her and Dre. She sighs softly as she runs her fingers through his luscious brown hair, moving her fingers towards her perfectly white cheeks before settling into her adorable, yet very nervous habit of biting her nails.

Kelsey Grace: I -- I don't know, Dre.

Dre Cutler: If she's not mine -- is she his?

Kelsey Grace: (whispering) Yeah...

His.

Dre and Kelsey are on the same page; a name doesn't have to be mentioned. Kelsey remembers the night when he and a friend jumped Dre, all because he was a different shade than they were. And Dre will forever have a scar above his right eye to serve as a reminder of that evening.

Dre's heart is pounding in his chest; is he ready to be a father? Does he want the baby to be his? Questions abroad, answers nonexistent. He licks his lips as he snatches a sandwich off the tray and sets it in front of Kelsey. He grabs the other burger and opens the wrapper before placing it on the table.

Dre Cutler: Well -- I mean, I --

Kelsey Grace: I think I made a mistake, Dre. I should go. I'm -- I'm really, really sorry.

Dre Cutler: What? No -- Kelsey, no -- don't go.

Kelsey Grace: You're such a good person, Dre. Just -- please, please find it in your heart to forgive me. I -- I never meant to hurt you, I promise you that.

She sniffles and wipes away a couple of tears before they can completely escape her eyes. She scoots and shuffles out of the booth and climbs to her feet. Dre's face is a Picasso of emotions, and his brain is on overload as it tries to process the entire situation that has been laid in front of him. She pauses for a moment, looking down at her belly, then raising her eyes to make eye contact with Dre, if only for a moment before the pressure and embarrassment of the situation forces her to avert her eyes.

Dre Cutler: Kelsey...

Kelsey Grace: I'm sorry, Dre.

She turns on her heel and heads towards the exit of the restaurant. Dre starts to slide out of the booth to go after her, but something tells him to let her go as he stops on the edge and watches as she hurries out of the building. And as he watches, he can only mumble a response that is way too late and available only to deaf ears.

Dre Cutler: (whispering) You don't have the apologize to me...

---------- 

Ulf Hednir; let me start by applauding you for bringing the fire last week. I challenged you to show up with a focus and determination I didn't see from you in your first match. And you know what you did? 

You accepted the challenge. 

I'm not yet convinced that you can maintain your focus as time goes on, but I will say I am very impressed. And perhaps me being impressed means jack shit to you, but just know that I think you're going to do great things in this company, and the industry. But you have to grow up -- and I mean that with as much respect as I can with a statement like that. You need to do it fast; because if you continue to have lapses in focus, and continue to prioritize fun over business, you will fall flat on your face and waste all of your potential. 

This business will destroy you, if you allow it to do so. 

I'll say if the same Ulf that showed last week appears this week, then I'm honored to team with you. You can rest comfortably knowing, as you said, that I will have your back. And I assume you'll have mine. Because while this business is a "don't trust anyone" industry, there are times when a common goal as to pull two individuals together, if only for a few minutes. And this week -- there's a match that requires us to pull ourselves together as a unit because we both want the same thing. 

We want the victory. 

And the individuals standing in our way are known as The Lost Boys -- Sam and Dean. Two competitors that have made a name for themselves in Australia and are here, apparently, to save the boring and faltering scene that is American professional wrestling. 

How's the mission gone for you thus far? Do you think the industry is in better shape today than it was yesterday? Don't answer that, I'll handle my own questions. 

The answer is yes, the industry is better today than it was yesterday but not because of you two. Your arrogance does nothing but embarrass you two; and more importantly, it embarrasses your country. Arrogance is like a cancer -- if you allow it, it will consume you and will lead to your untimely demise. Arrogance is ugly; and you two, are fucking hideous. 

See, your mission is all wrong anyway. Your drive should be proving to the entire world that you are the very best tag team this industry has to offer. It's not your job to try to save a business that doesn't need saving. You're focusing on the wrong thing; and I'll compare your lack of proper focus on Ulf's lack of total focus. It's going to misguide you, lead you in the wrong direction, and ultimately lead you into a situation that's going to cause you to be hospitalized. 

And that situation has arrived; and it has a name -- Dre Cutler. 

The Lost Boys -- you two realize you need to save yourselves before you can attempt to save an industry? Your name is very fitting, on an emotional and mental level. You're lost, off the beaten path, and you're wandering around aimlessly. 

It's embarrassing, really. 

You need direction. You need someone to show you the light, point you on a quest that actually is worthy of your efforts. Why don't you try to save the tag team division, or lack thereof, within the confines of IWF? Why not use your God given abilities to put on amazing matches and pick up opinion-changing victories?  

Realign your focus. 

And drop the arrogance, because it's pitiful. 

Ulf and I, we've never tagged together in our lives. In fact, I met the man for the first time in the ring last week. But what's funny and ironic about the situation is I can already tell you that he and I are more equipped to compete in a tag team match. We have a mindset to watch out for one another. 

You two... on your misguided path towards nothing... care of no one but yourselves. 

I don't mean to come across in such a rude way, but I don't sugar coat shit. I'm as blunt as they come. And I'm all about maintaining a since of humbleness. And you two, for some reason or another, lack it.. 

And Dre Cutler is going to dish it up this week. 

And once he says HEY, and puts the icing on the cake, you two are going to have a few moments while you attempt to explain to one another what went wrong -- to decipher that the problem isn't the American wrestling industry. 

The problem is... you two. 

See you in the ring.