I nearly ran headlong into my apartment building elevator.

I had just received my copy of the TV title contract back from corporate and just needed to file it away. But I needed to make sure that the stipulation was still there and not just for the show.

Of course, my renewed contract was also included, something we were going to discuss more in length after Relentless. Sitting in with Theo wasn't going to be bad, but it would be the first time I'd be across the table from Thad. I wonder how he'll be when we negotiate terms.

...But what if they don't want to agree to what I'm looking for?

As the doors opened to my floor, I shook the thought from my mind. I saw one of my neighbors staring down the hallway. Trouble, I thought; there wasn't much other reason to be hanging around in the halls. "Who is it this time?" I asked.

The elderly neighbor turned to look at me. He was nice enough; stout with a bushy mustache, balding on top, semi-retired architect if I remember the apartment mixer correctly. Couldn't remember his name, though. He just shrugged at me, saying, "No idea; some kinda domestic whatever going on in your neck of the hallway." He glanced an eyebrow at me. "You're not...keepin' anyone secret from me, are ya?"

"No, I-"

And I froze.

Elli was still staying at my apartment.

Jacob would've known by now that she was staying there.

"Sorry, I gotta go," I quickly said. I think he said something in reply, but I didn't hear him.

The shouting got louder as I rounded the corner.

My apartment door was wide open.

I heard a loud argument between the two.

"...come home, and we can-"

"No, I'm not-"

"You're being-"

"Just leave me-"

"You're in his-"

They were talking over each other so much they couldn't even finish their thoughts.

Against my better judgment, I walked right into the apartment. Elli stood on one side of the apartment, dressed in lounge pants and a tank top, looking like she was relaxing after a long day. On the other was Jacob, red in the face, breathing heavy, having loosened his tie and discarded his suit coat somewhere in the apartment. Neither seemed to have noticed me walk in.

I coughed loudly to get their attention. "She's in my what, Jacob?" I asked calmly.

Elli looked over at me, smiling in relief.

Jacob spun around, souring his expression. "She's been staying here with you for weeks now...and you didn't think to tell me?!" he accused.

"Well it didn't seem like my place," I replied nonchalantly, setting my documents on the counter. "For one, Elli needed a place to stay and I needed an apartment-sitter. I've told you my work; you know I'm always traveling. And my mother left me these plants, you see, and I needed someone to be here to take care of them. She would be ever so cross if she found out I didn't take care of her darling plants."

Elli held in a laugh; thankfully Jacob was too focused on me for him to have noticed anything. "Oooh, I get it; you're trying to be a smart guy, huh?"

I just sighed; his insecurity really was starting to get annoying. "Well Jacob, between the two of us, someone has to take that role on. If that isn't going to be your irrational ass, I guess it falls to me, doesn't it?"

Jacob stepped up to me, clenching both fists. "You're really trying my patience with this 'friendship' you've got with her, you know that?" He gestured wildly toward Elli. "Don't think I don't know what you two have been up to here!"

There was a split second where I also almost let out a laugh based on the size difference; me, a six-foot-five wrestler, and him, barely six feet with his shoes on and a fan of crossfit. Then I remembered that I had been bested by people much smaller and let it go right away.

I just shook my head. "I'm not going to convince you out of what you think happened here. You already have it in your head that we did something wrong."

"SO YOU ADMIT IT!" he shouted.

"I'm not admitting to anything," I calmly replied. "Even if I did, would you hear it?"

He remained tense for a few seconds, then relaxed somewhat. "Well...no, but-"

I held up a hand. "Ambushing me like that on the way to the station is one thing, Jacob. Coming into my home, accosting my guest and my friend to boot? That's a whole new level of low." I placed an assured hand on his shoulder, saying, "Listen, man. I get it. Your partner has a male friend and you feel like your position as her partner is being threatened. Its an old story, and it usually winds up being the same; you drive away your partner, she ends up with the rival anyhow, and you end up alone for all your fighting."

He shrugged the hand off of me on that line. "Look, your insecurities aren't helping anyone here. If you truly think that she did something wrong and its irreversible, then maybe you need to consider if this is a relationship worth keep-"

"FUCK! YOU!"

SMACK

I'm pretty sure that was the hardest punch he could possibly throw at me.

It hurt. Not as bad as I've had before, but a real punch feels very different from a staged one. I could feel my eye swelling up. I closed it, wincing in pain, but refused to cover it with anything. I heard Elli let out a gasp when it happened.

I gave up being nice with this guy at that moment.

Elli shouted, "Goddammit, you asshole! You never listen to me or what I need! Just get out of here! Look at what you did to-"

Jacob started shaking, now realizing what he had done. "H-h-hey man, I-"

I turned my head back to face him, imposing my size over him. "See..." I started, breathing heavy and talking through the pain, "I'm gonna forgive you for that one. You felt...you felt it was needed, and I'm not going to take that from you." I slowly pointed at Elli, who was now sitting down crying. "But when you think back to tonight, think about how she looks now. How she has been miserable because of your mistrust." He slowly walked back toward the entry way. I followed after, still looming. "You get the one punch. You get that one kindness from me tonight. But if I catch you hanging around this apartment building...hell, if I even hear you've been bothering Elli at all..."

The ratfink didn't even let me finish my vague threat. He scurried out of there, not wanting to know what I could do, slamming my door in the process.

I sighed, relaxed, and walked back into the kitchen, looking at Elli. I can't imagine what she had gone through if what drove her over was watching me get slugged.

---

---

---

"You sure this doesn't hurt?" Elli asked as she placed the steak over my eye.

"Nah," I replied, "Just to my wallet." That was going to be my dinner.

There was a bottle of wine on the coffee table, opened with two glasses poured, and I sat on the couch holding a steak to my eye. Not the most ideal way of dealing with the swelling, but I didn't have any ice packs around the apartment. The little shit also managed to bust open my lip; I didn't even know how that happened until I realized he dragged his fist down my face after punching me.

Elli sat down next to me, looking away sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I know I should've-"

"Said something sooner?" I replied. I slowly nodded. "Yeah...you probably should have." I gingerly pulled the steak away and flipped it to the cooler side. "But it was none of my business. You needed a place to stay, and you were a friend in need."

"No, I mean..." Elli rubbed her arm. "I...I really thought I was stronger than that. I should've done something sooner about Jacob."

"Did he hurt you at all?"

My question was cold and calculating, but I didn't feel like being kind to that man anymore.

There wasn't a response. The silence and tears that followed told me everything I needed to know.

"I'm sorry that that happened to you." What else could I say in that moment?

All the same, she took hold of my arm, squeezing it in comfort. "Thanks, but...is it okay if we don't talk about it anymore? I'm not...really ready to right now."

I nodded. "Alright...when you're ready, you know I'm here to listen."

I stood up after that; I could feel the swelling go down enough that I didn't need the steak anymore. I went back to the kitchen and wrapped it back up, sticking it back in the freezer while looking over some mail. "Nothing changes, by the way. You can stay here as long as you like. If you want to find a new place that's up to you too; I'm not gonna try to keep you here-" I stopped talking, seeing her just looking back at me. "...What?" I asked.

"D...Why are you like this?"

"Well that's a bit of an odd question," I replied.

She stood up from the couch, wiping the tears from her eyes. I thought I caught a laugh, but maybe it was just a cough. "No, I mean...I know what we said about each other before and...well...I guess I am technically-"

"Elli..." I interrupted.

"What?"

I walked over to her, her stance awkward, unsure of whether she needed to relax or to stand completely still. I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, reminding myself that this will go better than the last time this happened. "I remember what I said back then too. And its still true now." I smiled warmly yet sadly at her. "But I don't think-"

She didn't let me finish that sentence as she pulled me in for a kiss.

I felt shock.

Then happiness.

Then...pain?

Lots of pain.

"Ow!" I yelped, pulling back quick.

I saw red on Elli's lips.

I touched my own puffy lip. Apparently I was hurt worse than I thought. She had pulled me in too hard and ended up breaking open my lip on that one.

"Oh no! I'm sorry, I-"

It was such a bizarre moment, I just started laughing.

Elli looked panicked and confused, but also started laughing. I walked into the kitchen to grab hand towels for the two of us, wetting one down for myself to clean away as much blood as I could. I gave the other to Elli to clean herself up as well. "You're fine, Elli," I finally said, dabbing at my cut open lip. "At the very least, that one is going to be...well...memorable?"

"Yeah," she chuckled, wiping her lips and face, "I guess so."

As I became lost in thought, I remembered how those kinds of relationships end with people like me. She was putting on a brave face, but I know what Jacob had done to her. I didn't want to hurt her again, but I also wanted her to understand where I was coming from. "Listen, I...I think we should talk about that, at the very least."

Elli set the towel aside, nodding and saying "Yeah...you're right." She looked me dead in the eye as she continued, "I really didn't know what I was thinking. I just felt...I needed to repay you somehow for all the kindness you've shown me, y'know? And I thought...well, I guess this might be a way..."

"And I appreciate it, Elli," I sincerely responded, "But we talked about this too. I'm not sure if I could balance having you in my life and having my work at the same time."

"Is that what your head is telling you?" She asked.

"Well, yeah," I replied, "But-"

"But is that what you really want?"

"I...well, I-"

"Don't tell me yet," she ordered. "Really think about it. What do you want, Dionysus Berget?"

...

What do I want?

...

I...I guess I hadn't thought of that, huh?

And to have that kind of quick, deep thought in the middle of the night, while standing in a too-humid-for-its-own-good apartment, sharing the room with a woman who is in a very vulnerable position.

She was looking at me expectantly for an answer.

...And for the first time in a long time, I shut my mind off.

"I never really thought about what I wanted," I began. "I just let others dictate what I should do. I got into this business to find my father. I stayed to help my mother. Now both are fine, and what I have left is...nothing. So I want to find a purpose again. Whatever that might be." I took her hand in mine, and said, "And no matter what that looks like, I know I want you to be there with me."

She smiled warmly. "Dio...I-"

"Hey, don't get too chummy yet," I said. "I still want to wait to figure things out. This was a difficult night for both of us, and I want to know we're doing this for the right reasons." I reached into my back pocket and pulled out two plane tickets.

"So lets figure it out in Houston."

---

Someone really important to me asked me a very pointed question not that long ago.

"What do you want?"

And I kept thinking about this question as I flew here to Houston.

Because my entire career hasn't been about me.

I got into this business to try and find my father. And sure enough, I did that at the Trials.

I got into this business to help pay for my mother's medical needs. And sure enough, I did that when I a world champion in my rookie year.

But that was it.

Those two things were what kept me going.

So why? Why am I still in this business?

What is it that I really want?

At first I thought it was a long-lasting legacy, with multiple world titles around my waist and pissing away in the Twitter feeds talking about how great I am.

But I kept thinking about the opportunities I did have, where I did succeed...especially with the Television championship. And it made me realize something very important.

I value that title just as highly as any world title.

Now, when I issued that challenge on Warfare, what I said then wasn't wrong. The Television Champion, Jason Cashe, only getting fifteen minutes at Relentless? The biggest event XWF holds? And on Night One as well? If we are going to steal the entire event, we have to set the bar high. Hence, the 30-minute match.

Second, just having one pinfall decide the Television Title match...that didn't scream "entertaining" to me. Besides, why have a three-peat of the same match outcome? If you're gonna wind up the victor anyhow, you may as well work for it. Hence, the iron-man match.

And lastly, and the most important reason, relates to how the Television Title is important to me.

Jason, you have been the longest reigning champion under its current ruleset; 15-minute time limit matches, where if time expires, you still retain.

A quick and easy "get out of jail free" card.

I'm not a fan of that, personally.

And being the dutiful performer you are, you approached your reign with the same attitude; go in, do the job, retain, fight another day. A nice way to make a paycheck. A dutiful Apollo ready to take on the plucky Rocky when the time came.

But you see, I've heard some comments from fans of Warfare that didn't like the change to the original title format. They liked it when I put stipulations to a fan vote; what type of match, how long a rope, what kind of wine to put in a vat.

Yes, that was a real stipulation I had fans vote on.

The vote itself didn't matter. The connection did.

I made sure that my reign was synonymous with what the viewing audience wanted to see. That win or lose, they got the best match out of that title, no matter how wacky. It didn't just give people a reason to watch that title match.

It gave people a reason to believe in me as a champion.

That I would always be there to give them that vote. That I would give them hope that, while I held that belt, they got to choose. If I win, they win too.

And when I thought long and hard about it, I realized that maybe a legacy doesn't have to revolve around world titles. It can just as easily revolve around how you change the game.

Rocky would go the full fifteen rounds to find a way to win, in the matches that mattered most, because he had everyone behind him in the end.

That's my revelation.

That's the legacy I want to have.

I'm ready to go the distance and take back my legacy.

You better not throw in the towel at the end, because I sure as hell won't.

Ding.

Ding.