What happens when you do your best and come up short. Neil and Jason put on a wrestling clinic. You had two men that disliked each other. Two men that had a grudge to settle. Two men that needed the win in the worst possible way. Two men that mirrored each other in style and work ethic. Of course in any match there can only be one winner. Neil was not that man.

How does a man like Neil take a loss like that?

The first is the what ifs and the whys.

The second is the looking in your soul.

The third is acceptance.

Acceptance is always the hardest. Men like Neil hold themselves to a higher standard then the 5 to 9 wrestlers. They enter the arena at 5 and prepare for a short match then when 9 rolls around they hang up their tights and leave…… That is it until the next payday. Neil drove himself to new limits. The last time he was this driven was for the LWA World title match April 30th, 2000. That was over 4 years ago.

Time passes on…… Titan Wrestling tag titles Oct 22/2000… Pacific Pro Wrestling Tag belts: June 3/2001… New Era Wrestling Tag belts Nov 17/2001… UWL Tag belts: Feb 8/2002… UWL Tag belts: July 5/2002… UWL Warlord title August 30/2002… New Era Wrestling Tag belts: June 22/2003… New Era Wrestling Tag belts: August 4/2003… Core Wrestling Tag belts December 7/2003…

Neil is happily married with a wife as dedicated to being the best as he is. They have a great son though even now he is starting to develop the wild streak that will make him every bit as driven and successful as his parents. Neil is no longer the lone wolf. You look at Neil he wrestles the same. He is the same but he is older and wiser then he was. Neil has buried over a dozen friends over the past few years. He was there for the eulogies. A thousand empty words over the picture of those departed. The memory fading away like the sand on the beach when the tide rolls in. The pain goes from sharp agony to an empty void that will never be filled again. A place to hold the future that will never be is all that is left of the departed.

What does this have to do with Neil Whittaker and his match against Jason Hughes?

Jason Hughes is the man he was 4 years ago. That is why things were so even and why the rivalry was so heated. Neil is still the man he was on the day he was considered the best. Neil fought tooth and nail until his body flat out gave out. The force of will that makes him who he is is still there. Neil on the other hand has been coming to accept the fact that Jason Hughes beat him. It doesn’t make him any less dangerous or mean that he can’t beat Jason Hughes. It is simply the fact that he didn’t win.

Where does he go from here?

Two words cross his mind.

Jantz Spalding.

Another 5 to 9 wrestler.

Comes in gets paid and he is gone again.

Goes back to being a useless womanizing asshole with an ego the size of Texas.

Yup. Day Neil dies God better have some security because he has some "splainin" to do.

##########################################

::Neil gets up out of bed. Stephanie is sleeping peacefully. Neil walks over to the lamp across the room and retrieves his boxers. Of course there are some words that need not be said like the description of Neil walking over to get said boxers. Last night was a lot of fun though there are times when Stephanie can be a bit…… enthusiastic. Neil shrugs and puts on some sweats. He goes out of the house and decides to go for a morning run. Neil has to work to get back to where he used to be. Neil exits the Mansion and starts running.::

Neil: Time to go back to basics. Cardio needs work.

::Neil starts running as he thinks of recent events. He gets to mile 1.::

Neil: So many things that I could say. I could say that if I was in better shape I could have hung in a little longer. I could have said the first win was because I was drunk and high and the second one was a gift from Lanier.

::Neil continues thinking on these things as he is getting to mile 2.::

Neil: How many people decide to go the easy path these days? All but a rare few. They are the Old School Wrestlers. I never took the easy path before so why am I even considering it now playing all these bull shit what if games.

::Neil continues on the distance between mile 2 and 3 is like an eternity but he gets to mile 3.::

Neil: It isn’t worth it. I gave it my best. I never gave up. I pushed my body to the limit and ran it until the tank was empty. Of course there will be guys taking cheap shots. I am still 3 and 1 in singles. In tag matches we have 3 losses. One match we took a dive trying to get out of the tag ranks before we were stuck in a dead division. The second was the infamous "Lake Charles Screw Job". The last was the tag match that set me and Gideon free to an actual wrestling career.

::Neil is smiling as he gets to mile 4. He turns and starts heading back.::

Neil: Still haven’t talked to Gideon this week he hasn’t told me how he did in his National title match this Monday on Showdown. Best thing NEW ever did was get rid of that cocksucker Blaze (John Blaze not to be confused with fellow dual fedder former NEW and cW wrestler Mark Blaze). Likely he and Ed are still F$%king every Dbl D they can in Toronto to celebrate.

::Neil is smiling as he is now 3 miles away from returning home.::

Neil: Guys like Jack Diamond think that because they have a belt they are the best. All they do is cut the same PR laden bull shit promos. They have a publicist telling them how to be cool and how to be a star. Any original thought is more a fluke then intentional. They call him the hollow man. That is because he isn’t a wrestler he is an actor playing what he thinks a wrestler is. Stand there playing the crowds with the fake grin and even more fake personality. You too can be the hollow man. He should have been the Tin man instead because he has no heart.

::Neil picks up the pace a bit more now that he is 2 miles away.::

Neil: Hughes has the heart to be a legend but he is one of the biggest assholes I have ever met. This is coming from a guy that is a pro wrestler where we get the most egocentric self absorbed assholes that grace this planet and Hughes managed to make the top 10. Oh well isn’t like I’m any different. Hell I thrive on people thinking I’m a cranky foul tempered violent asshole. I like the competition.

::Neil chuckles and is at the final mile of the run and nearly back home.::

Neil: I’m going to have to cut a promo on that jackass Jantz. First I’m going to do something that should be done. Time for a bit of a road trip to see Hughes.

::Neil is entering the yard.::

Neil: First things first. I need a shower. With any luck Steph will be up.

::Neil has a wide grin on his face as he enters the house………::

##########################################

::Neil is standing in front of the mansion. During the trip he has been thinking this over in his mind. Nothing feels right. Neil shakes it off with a shrug then walks up to the steps of the mansion and knocks on the front door of Jason Hughes home.::

A moment passes before the door opens slowly to reveal Jason Hughes standing there in a pair of dark jeans and black muscle shirt.

Hughes (a somewhat surprised look on his face is replaced by a look of annoyance): Neil...to what do I owe the honor?

::Neil holds out a hand offering a handshake.::

Hughes eyes the hand for a moment, going through all the possible ways this could end up from nothing to a surprise beating on the doorstep of his mansion. After a moment he reaches out and grasps Neil's hand.

Neil: You beat me. I don't make excuses. You took the best I gave out and took me to the point where my body caved. Few men can even imagine what a battle like that was like and you earned the win.

Hughes (nodding slowly): You're right...I earned the win. I earned the win by battling with a man who refused to stay down, who refused to be pinned, who refused to submit through every possible submission hold including two...two No Man's Lands. My back is in agony, my ribs feel like they were ripped out and my arm is still throbbing. You took the best that I had and kept going until you passed out. You didn't give up...you kept going until the pain made your body give up. That was a war Neil, don't get me wrong, and I may have had the W when it was over. But nobody...nobody lost.

Neil: Yup. You got Diamond at the PPV. I don't have to wish you luck. You know the mistakes from last time. You took him lightly and were over confidant. Now that you are focused his only chance is to nail you with a Flask kick for a KO. He hasn't got the heart for a war.

Hughes: He won't get the chance to hit that move. After what you and I went through, I think I can stand up through anything.

Neil: Don't get over confidant. He's hungry and cagey. He knows he is the hunted and he is desperate. I'm going to go back home and train. Tell Veronica I said hi.

Hughes: I will tell her that and Neil...good luck on Sunday.

Neil: I'm going to kill that F$%kin asshole.

Hughes: I have no doubt.

::As Neil walks away he smiles. Time to get back to work there is a promo that needs to be made and Jantz isn't going to be all that happy with the subject of it.::

##########################################

::Neil has a magnifying glass and a folder filled with paper. He has one of those hokey Sherlock Holmes style hats. Neil is going to cut a promo. By now most fans have heard that Tara Spalding was attacked sometime in May. Why wasn’t there outrage at this attack? Quite simply is there were way too many suspects.::

Neil: How long?

Raymond: Not very long Mr. Whittaker.

Neil: Good.

::Neil is given the countdown. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1………::

Neil: Welcome to the who did it series. Sometime in May Tara Spalding was attacked. You might be thinking why do I care? I don’t. I never even met the slut before. Oops forgot this is a family show. I never even met the "Alinie Fanco" before. Aw hell with it I’m not good with this PR garbage. Tara Spalding is just a cheap whore brought into Core as a F$%k toy for Spalding to cover the fact that he is a womanizing pompous self absorbed egomaniacal lazy worthless pathetic jackass of a wrestler whose Legacy title reign nearly ruined the title.

::Neil takes off the hat.::

Neil: I’ll start with the people that might have done it. I could have attacked whats her name just because Jantz is an annoying pompous self absorbed asshole that was getting on my nerves. Lag Sverige could've done it because they are terrorists and kidnap dogs. That and they are F$%king morons and likely think they were attacking Brittany Spears to prevent a new album. Adams doesn’t like Jantz because he is someone who sticks around just for gold and then dissappears when he actually has to defend himself and prove he is champion material. Hell that sums up Adams right there when he goes full out for a title match then later half asses a match with Masters in under a minute. Hughes would do it just to show Spalding that his time and effort in Core is no longer needed, that it is Hughes' fed now and there is no room for has-beens such as Spalding. Jack Diamond thinks that Jantz Spalding is cocky, arrogant, ignorant, and just a no good, SOB....so he hates him because of gimmick infringement. Mendez beat his ass in a barbed wire match.

::Neil Smirks. He puts back on the hat.::

Neil: Me, Lag Sverige, Adams, Hughes, Diamond, and Mendez. 7 people lets go to the roster list.

::Neil opens the folder and smiles.::

Neil: I only have another 10 to 15 minutes so I can’t go into depth here. Artemis could have just snapped. Hell. Heaven only knows with that broad. She could have one too many Arty is a slut jokes. What is the difference between Artemis and a 7 11? One has doors that are open 24/7 The other has legs that are…… Nah I got too much class.

::Neil snickers.::

Neil: What about Jake Finale? He tried to end Veronica Paige’s career with a cowardly sneak attack. Worked once and got him title shots. If he attacked Tara Spalding mabye just mabye there would be a chance that he wouldn’t be curtain jerking house shows. What about Fred Fusion……

::Neil shakes his head.::

Neil: On second thought lets forget about Fred. Alinie Fanco could have done it. Hell Tara could be the only woman here she COULD beat. Just her luck it never happened in the ring where she can actually get a win. How about Ed Gesumaria. Well I’ll rule that one out. She may have been flat on her back but she had her clothes on so why would he bother with a slut not putting out. And she is a B cup at best. Maybe during his independent days he would have thrown her a mercy F#$k just to be nice. Now he can get women a lot hotter then that nickle and dime slut.

::Neil takes off the hat and puts it and the magnifying glass down. He puts down the folder.::

Neil: We got Vince Jones. He could have done it because his whole gimmick has been going after women. Hell he is goddamn Ike Turner with half the drugs and a wrestling career. Hell he beats up Tara to get to you then all he has to do is tell you and use your name to get him in the spotlight. Let’s go to the folder again.

::Neil picks up the folder.::

Neil: I’d say Munson but it didn’t look like it was his grazing area. Hell if Tara couldn’t get out of the way of that fat wildebeest she deserves to get her ass kicked. Hell the only thing missing is back up lights.

::Neil shakes his head.::

Neil: Wouldn’t be Paige because she wouldn’t bother. Hell Tara isn’t even on Alinie’s level. It would be like beating up an anorexic one legged circus midget or Finale. Billy wouldn’t bother because even being a tag wrestler is a step up from facing Jantz Spalding. Steph wouldn’t have kicked her ass. Wouldn’t be worth scuffing up her shoes.

::Neil smiles.::

Neil: I’d say last but not least but Nick Worrell I don’t like you. You are a nothing happening jackass. You get one fluke win and a shiny belt handed to you. Veronica is going to kick your ass and take her belt. You know why Worrell? It is because you are nothing but a bitch. You were ASS’s bitch and at the PPV you will be Paige’s bitch. I don’t think he’s lucky enough to be able to handle Tara.

::Neil tosses the folder and smirks.::

Neil: That is at least 10 people that hate you and spit on the ground you slithered back into Core on. Tell you what Jantz I'll say I did it. Make it real F$%king easy. Hate me I could care less. Do something about it you loudmouthed pompous nothing happening washed up useless poser hack jackass. On a day I lost I've STILL done better then you in your whole career in Core. What are you going to do jackass? Cut another promo where you play with dolls? Try and shut me up Jantz. I’ll be the big mean son of a bitch across the ring smirking at you. I drew a line in the sand and spit on your foot in total contempt for a 5 to 9 wrestler wannabe.

::Neil looks at the camera with a hard glare.::

Neil: You know why I have no respect for you Jantz? You aren’t a wrestler. You have never paid a goddamn due in your life. You get the world handed to you and you pissed it all down the drain. You know nothing about heart and dedication. You are just a Sports Entertainer. A 5 to 9 guy that pretends to be dedicated but when push comes to shove you bitch out like the biggest punk ever to lace up a pair or wrestling boots. It makes me sick to my stomach that a F$%king piece of garbage like you can be called a wrestler.

::Neil smiles.::

Neil: Deal with it or bitch out again. Either way you are just a waste of my time keeping me from the Icon belt.

::Neil walks off and the promo ends.::