Target On My Back

November 7
Immediately following Annihilation

It felt like a dream, but the proof was right there in his hands. The weight draped across his lap, the metal glinting in the light…

He was holding gold again.

Lachlan wiped the sweat away from his forehead, flicking it down to the floor as he stared at his somewhat distorted reflection in the shining faceplate of his newly won Victory championship. Despite the fact that every bone, muscle and tendon in his body was ablaze with pain and soreness, a smile crept across his face as he brushed his fingertips across the engravings on the belt. His personal nameplate would come later, but for right now just holding it was enough to prove to him that everything he had endured the past few weeks had been well worth it. All the mental and physical anguish had been well-rewarded.

The sound of running footsteps approaching made him raise his head, and he was just in time to catch Sierra flying into his arms, wrapping her arms around him tightly and peppering his face with kisses. “I knew you could do it,” she said proudly, her smile brilliant.

He returned her smile and pressed his forehead to hers. “Not without an assist from my beautiful wife. That was one hell of a right hook.”

“Well, it’s not that I didn’t think you couldn’t do it on your own. But the opportunity presented itself, and I just couldn’t pass it up.” She shrugged nonchalantly.

“Wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, and rose up from the production crate he had been sitting on. “Let’s get back to the hotel and do some celebrating, shall we?” He gave her a suggestive smirk, though it was quickly tempered when a sharp pain shot through his lower back and he winced.

Sierra raised an eyebrow as she draped one of his arms across her shoulders and wrapped hers around his waist. “I don’t think you’re in the best condition to be doing any ‘celebrating’ tonight, amor. Let’s save it until you’re healed up.”

Pouting in an exaggerated way, Lach grabbed his title belt as they headed off down the hall to the locker rooms together.

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Somewhere in Upper New York State
Two days later

Before Lachlan and Sierra headed home to Orlando, they had decided to make a quick stopover in New York to visit Alanah and Jack and their newborn twins. Everyone was in the living room of the couple’s new home, with Lachlan sitting on the couch holding little Patrick in his arms. Winning that title felt good, but spending time with his family made everything worthwhile. He stared down at the face of his nephew, and his heart felt like it was going to burst in his chest. There was still the worry of Angel niggling at the back of his mind, because he knew that their feud was far from over, but for the moment he pushed it aside as he smiled at the wriggling baby boy in his arms.

“I can tell you’re gonna be a handful,” he said softly, gently bouncing him. “Just don’t give your ma too much of a hard time, alright?”

Patrick cooed and smiled up at Lachlan, reaching one chubby hand up to grasp at Lach’s nose. A small laugh caught his attention, and Lach looked up to see Sierra standing in front of him with an amused smile on her face. He smiled back at her and moved over so she could sit next to him. She looked down at the baby snuggled in Lach’s arms and gently stroked his head. “You know, seeing you with the babies is giving me some ideas.”

Lach’s eyebrows shot up so quickly he thought they were going to fly off his head. He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. “Like...uh, like what kind of ideas?”

“Well, you’ve always been great with the girls. You’ve loved and cared for them since you and I started dating, almost as if they were your own.” Her eyes flicked up to his, warmth shining from their emerald depths. “But I would love to give you a little one that’s actually your own.”

He was speechless, his mouth hanging open before he cleared his throat again. “I’m not going to lie, the thought has crossed my mind more than a few times. There’s nothing more I’d love to see than you carrying our child. But I didn’t want to interfere with your career, especially now with you being the PWS World Champion.” He gave her a smile, touching his forehead to hers. “I’m in no rush. The girls are my world, and you know I love them with all my heart. They are more than enough for me. But, if this is something that you want, then I’m ready. Just say the word.” He chuckled a bit. “Though if we’re going to wait until after you drop the belt, we may be waiting a long, long time.”

She rolled her eyes, but a faint blush tinted the tops of her cheeks. “Sweet-talker.”

“Just one of the many things you love about me.” He gave her a cheesy grin, which only made her roll her eyes again and the blush on her cheeks darken. He leaned over to kiss her forehead, when a little grunt sounded from the bundle in Lach’s arms. The two of them looked down to see Patrick with a strained expression on his face, which was turning slightly red. “Uh-oh, looks like Patrick’s about to stink up the joint.”

“Well, seems like as good a time as any to practice changing diapers,” Sierra smirked.

Lachlan just grinned as he rose up off the couch. “Bet I don’t gag like Jack does.”

From the other side of the room where he was lying on the floor with little Elise, Jack’s face took on a look of indignation as he stared daggers at his brother-in-law. “Hey, that was ONE time!”

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The scene opened up inside of a boardroom, a long table dominating the centre surrounded by highback leather chairs. The room was dimly lit, with one lone light shining down at the head of the table where the PWE Victory Championship sat. The sound of a door opening and closing broke the silence, and from the left side of the screen appeared the holder of said title belt, Lachlan Kane. Much like the last promotional video he had released, he was dressed again in a finely tailored suit, though this one was a dark charcoal grey with a crisp white collarless dress shirt underneath.

Stepping up to the head of the table, he pressed his hands to its surface on either side of his belt, leaning forward slightly. He wore a self-satisfied grin on his face, but in the depths of his blue eyes shone a look of intense determination. “I have no doubts in my mind that I am now in the crosshairs of many members of the PWE roster. When I laid claim to this belt at Annihilation almost three weeks ago, I knew it was going to put a rather large target on my back. But I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, and so I welcome all that will try to stake their claim for this.” He ran a hand over the top of the belt. “But I want you all to think about something when you make that decision. Go back and look at the absolute hell I went through just to win this belt. The devastation I put my body through. The blinding pain I endured. The carnage I inflicted on each and every one of the poor sods that were put in front of me. And then, I want you to ask yourself...if that was what I was willing to go through just to win the belt, what do you think I’m willing to do to keep it?”

He left the question hanging in the air as he lifted the belt from the table and laid it across his left shoulder, wrapping a protective arm around it. “Now, despite the fact that I’m not defending the belt on the next Victory, I am booked in a match with Sapphire Delgado. One of the unfortunate five that was unable to capitalize on any of the empty threats she made. You certainly talked a big game, and I will give you credit. You more than held your own at Annihilation. But that was then, and this is now. Now, you don’t have the luxury of other people to use as distractions. It’s time for you to step up and show us exactly why you call yourself ‘The Florida Bitch’. Because all I’ve seen lately is a little girl who can’t get the job done.”

His eyes narrow slightly at the lens, as he leans back over the table again. “I have no doubt in my mind that you have all the talent and drive in the world to be something great in this company, but you sure as hell haven’t shown us much of anything since you’ve arrived. A singles loss to Acid Beth in your debut, and then your failure to capture what I now hold here.” He glanced at the belt across his shoulder. “Now, I hope you don’t misconstrue my words here as an attempt to belittle or demean you. On the contrary, I hope they light a fire under your ass and inspire you to bring your absolute best to that ring on November 29. After all, a champion is only as good as his challengers. I know this match of ours is non-title, but I know that Ophelia and Charlie are watching this division closely to decide who will be the first to contend for this belt. So it would be in your best interest to bring your A-game.” A cocky smirk appears on his face. “Even though you won’t be picking up a win against me, at least if you put on a good showing you could become the frontrunner for a contendership. Food for thought.” He tapped his temple with a finger. “But more than that, there is something else I want you to keep in your mind as we approach our match at Victory, and it’s something I want the entire roster to keep in their minds as well…”

He slid the belt off his shoulder and held it up in one hand, his face taking on a fierce countenance as he stared down the camera lens, his bright blue eyes almost glowing with the conviction in his voice as he spoke the next four words...

“This is my division.”

With a slightly sinister smirk crossing his lips, Lachlan raised his hand towards the camera, extending his index finger and thumb as he pointed down the lens and the screen went dark.