The Morning After. RP2 for DaF

[Bobby Barratt]

"Jenny?"

Bobby frantically mashes at the Power button on his phone, trying to turn it off before the message sends. What was he thinking? Panic rushes through his entire body as he tries in vain to cancel the message he just foolishly sent. Jenny's been gone for months now. Why would he try that?

Bobby: Fuckfuckfuck FUCK!

Bobby sees the "Message Sent" prompt appear on his screen, right before the screen powers off. He tosses his phone onto the sofa and cups his head in his hands. The Valentine's Day rush has got him all pensive about losing the one true Love of his life. The one woman who made him feel complete. It's just a pity that it was too late by the time he realised it.

Bobby: Shit.... How can I fix this? Jack's going to think I was just pulling tricks like the old days to get in his mind. I imagine he won't be too happy with me using her name.

The scene pans out slightly as Bobby sways. It shows about a dozen empty beer bottles strewn across the Coffee table in front of him. He lights a cigarette to try to calm himself down a little. He takes a drag on it and the smoke escapes his mouth into the air, drifting across the room.

Bobby: Hang on!

Bobby grabs his phone again, powering it on as quickly as he can. He continues smoking the cigarette as the seemingly endless boot sequence completes and his phone springs to life. He opens the message he just sent and sees "Jack is Typing" at the bottom of the screen. He hits a few buttons and sends off a follow up message before collapsing onto the sofa. He breathes a sigh of relief as Jack's typing status disappears from the screen. The shot pans up ever so slightly to show just a few, misspelled words.

*"Myabe we should do a trbiute?"

Bobby: Hopefully that fixes it. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to drunk text Jen. It was one of those things that before my mind had chance to react, I'd already sent it....My dumb arse sent it to Jack though instead of Jenny. Prick.

PING!

Bobby's phone illuminates in his hand and he picks it up like he's a teenager getting a message from his crush. He looks at the screen and sees a message from Jack, simply reading:

"Sure, now maybe go sleep off that beer, eh?"

---

We come back the next day and Bobby is seen walking gingerly out of the home Gym. He's obviously feeling the wear and tear that last night put on him, both physically and emotionally. He's dripping with sweat and uses the towel around his shoulders to wipe his face clean. As he paces along the hallway, we see the "Hall of Fame" he set up for himself. The difference is that now the gap we saw before is occupied by a photo of Bobby's exit from AWF. He and Jack stand at the top of the ramp grinning as Bobby holds the X-Crown Championship aloft. Bobby takes a glance at it and grins to himself.

KNOCK!! KNOCK!! 

Bobby: What the- ARRGGHH!

Bobby grips the sides of his head. The combination of the door knocking, him yelling and the jerk reaction of being surprised has brought back the symptoms of the hangover with full force. Turns out sweating it out really isn't a thing. He composes himself and heads over to the front door.

Curt: Hey open up!

Bobby: Fuck...

Bobby forgot he had to deal with some Diamonds are Forever PR today. He opens the door and there is Curt, standing with two reporters from a Minnesota newspaper.

Bobby: Hey... I'm just done working out. Go grab a drink and I'll be down soon, OK?

Curt looks worried, but wipes the panicked expression off his face before turning to take the reporters through to the lounge. Bobby paces up the stairs.

Bobby: You know where everything is...

Reporter: Curt...We've flown in early from Minnesota to get the scoop on Diamonds are Forever and you promised us just that. Is he drunk?

Curt: Hey, Icons gotta Icon, right? These guys party like no one else, we all knew that. But when it comes to business time.... He's the X-Crown Champion going into a war with his best friend!

Reporter 2: Well we'll see when he comes down those stairs. If he's the mess we just saw, then I see problems on the horizon for the show.

Curt: Hey don't worry. Have I ever lied to you before?

Reporter 2: We've never even worked together before.

Curt: So have I lied?

Reporter: ...

Time passes as Curt brings them their drinks and they sit down to watch a DVD of Bobby and Jack's highlights that Curt had made up especially to promote the show: The main event in particular. Footage of their wars in the pre-Icons days plays on the screen, as well as Bobby mixing it up with Vadyl, Duke Kosloff and Chaos Kid interspliced with Jack taking on the likes of Jericho Kade to win the Shooting Star Championship which Bobby now holds, Ari Naxt and Chaos Kid too. The closing scene of the montage is of Bobby throwing the ICW Championship to a blood soaked Jack Diamond at the end of Castle of Glass to give him the win over Chaos Kid and the interaction that followed, in which Jack promised Bobby one more shot as the scene fades. As it finishes, Bobby comes down the stairs looking slightly more presentable. The heavy scent of aftershave fills the air as Bobby has evidently tried to mask the smell of alcohol he seems to be emitting at this point. He shakes both reporters hands and takes a seat.

Bobby: So boys, apologies for keeping you waiting, but I got this. What can I do for you?

Reporter: Well we're hoping we can get some quotes for your upcoming show "Diamonds are Forever". How are you feeling about it? Your best friend and seemingly one of your biggest rivals is going to stand across the ring from you and put it all on the line for one more shot at the X-Crown Championship.

Bobby: Oh we're doing this dance again. Well if you've done your research, you'll know that Jack Diamond was one of the men I beat to win this title in the first place. Jack, Chris Card and Seth Dillinger went to war in one of the most hard fought battles in AWF history in order to lay claim to that Championship. So you come here and ask me the same old question about standing across the ring from Jack? We've done this seemingly a thousand times now... Come on, you can do better than that!

Reporter 2: Ok. We get it. So how are plans for Diamonds are Forever coming along?

Bobby: Swimmingly! We've got our announce team set up, we've got the card booked and the venue sorted! It was pretty easy with my new powers!

Reporter 2: Powers?

Bobby: Guys, come on! This is in your back yard! I'm the new Commissioner of the XHF! I've been moving into my Office this week and last night was my little house warming!

Curt relaxes a little when he realises Bobby's story lines up with his.

Bobby: It was just simply a case of convincing people that XHF still HAD a Commissioner and he was demanding the XHF Arena be used for the show! Once that was set, I've been fending off offers from anyone even loosely associated with ICW to get a gig on the card!

Reporter: That sounds great! Any teasers for us?

Bobby: Not one! You want to hear about it, then you have to tune in just like everyone else! Me and Jack Diamond co-main eventing with Chris Card and Anthony Caffrey should be all you need to generate all the buzz and paper sales you need!

Both reporters nod in agreement.

Bobby: The fact is that Jack Diamond offered me the one thing I never managed to get in order to make this match happen! He cashed in his Golden ticket to get my attention and it did! He got the match, we are going to beat the Hell out of each other one more time. The Ace and....

Bobby catches himself. The reporters look confused. Bobby contemplates his next words and shrugs. It's for old time's sake.

Bobby: The Ace of Spades versus The Prodigy one more time! My tenacious, vicious streak against Jack's never-say-die-do-what-it-takes mentality to retaining that belt! If that isn't enough, Jack has told the World that if he doesn't win the big one... Well you know the rest.

The last part seemed to catch Bobby unaware a little emotionally.

Reporter 2: So OK let's play Devil's Advocate here. You win against Jack Diamond. He stays true to his word and walks away from the XHF Network...Are you ready for life after your Jack?

Bobby: Am I ready? Who's ever ready for a friend to call it quits and head over the hill? Am I prepared? Man I spent months in AWF fending off challengers while Jack was out with a broken Ankle. I spent a lot of my ICW run taking on the entire promotion as well as Shawn Rossdale followed by Lucas Reiter. You think I can't run solo? You think I don't have what it takes to get the job done? I've said since day one....DAY! FUCKING! ONE! That I'm in this for myself. The Icons was simply a way to surround myself with like minded individuals. Our code was simple: If you're going to step to someone, do it like a man. Don't double cross each other and if you have to fight, "Strike first, Strike Hard, No Mercy!"

Reporter: Cobra Kai!

Reporter 2: What?

Bobby: Bro, you're way too young to know about that stuff. 

Bobby and the older reporter share a laugh at the younger reporter's expense.

Reporter 2: So with only a few more days to go prior to the show, is there anything you want us to think about going into this card?

Bobby strokes his chin, rubbing his hands against his stubbly beard in thought.

Bobby: I'd say if you don't know ICW already, go look it up! Look at what we were, look at where we came from and look at us now. This show might offer a few little trips down memory lane as we say goodbye to the ICW Heavyweight Championship and welcome it into the X-Crown as title number 19. It's going to be a great night so once you've done all that, grab a few friends and a lot of beers and sit down and enjoy the show. I can promise you, you'll get your money's worth!

The reporters make their notes, thank Bobby and everyone shakes hands and is on their way. Curt shoots Bobby a finger pistol on the way out. Bobby cringes, but it's simply Curt's way of telling Bobby he nailed that interview, despite his possibly still drunken demeanour. The door closes and Bobby turns away, his gaze fixating on the X-Crown Championship on the Kitchen counter.

Bobby: Of course I nailed it. Any time the pressure is on, Bobby Barratt comes up smelling of Roses. Now Jack, if that's how I can turn in a performance half cut. What do you think you're going to get come Diamonds are Forever when my focus will be 100% on you....

Bobby hesitates again.

Bobby: Prodigy....Out!!