Down With the Struggle

Mercy set Bonnie on a couch in a dressing room that she had hobbled off to. In the back of her mind she was still fearful that Jocelyn and Allison might actually follow her but the two villains seemed to have been placated for the moment. Once Bonnie was down, Mercy pulled off her Referee shirt and gave it to Bonnie to wear. She was a little embarrassed to only be in a sports bra, but it would have to do. The two of them didn't need to have a conversation while Bonnie's goods were hanging in the breeze.

Mercy sighed and lowered her head as she looked at Bonnie. "Are you ok?" She said. "Are you hurt? Do you need a doctor?" She asked. "Do you want me to go get... some help?" She frowned deeply and tried to do whatever she could for the blonde. "I'm sorry, Bonnie. I'm... sorry..." She said. She didn't know what else to say, really.

She grabbed two waters from the small fridges that were stocked and handed one off to Bonnie. "Just... drink that, I guess." She said and sat down next to Bionnie. She put a hand on the girl's leg and frowned again. Her own heart was still beating so fast. She was certain the two of them were lucky that the worst that happened was the crowd got a good look at Bonnie's tits.

Bonnie was the kind of gal that was never keen on showing her body to the public. Unlike a lot of AFW hussies, Bonnie felt she had shame. But right now, she barely cared, her mind was swimming with a billion thoughts regarding Allison, Jocelyn and her own personal failure tonight.

Mercy sat Bonnie down on the couch, the blonde keeping her head low but not thinking twice once Mercy suddenly handed her ref shirt. She grabbed it and took a peak at Mercy and blushed a little, the act was kind and... Mercy was actually pretty nicely built for such a skinny little girl. But those thoughts aside, Bonnie got the shirt on to cover her breasts finally.

"Yeah." She answered absently to Mercy like she barely cared or event meant it. "No. No." She tried to not sound annoyed. She wasn't mad at Mercy, rather herself and the two bitches she was dealing with. She tried hard to keep it together and stay tough, keeping her eyes away from Mercy as best she could until she heard the pink haired girl apologize.

Bonnie finally lifted her head to reveal her teary eyes to Mercy. "...Ya ain't need ta' apologize for nothin, Mercy...." She sniffled, forcing a smile just briefly before taking the water she was handed, opening it up to take a much needed drink like she had been crossing the desert. Her fight with Allison, or rather any encounter with that woman always made Bonnie stress herself out more, tonight was probably the worst.

"I'm gonna be okay, ya know?" Bonnie said, unable to look Mercy in the eye as she felt he comfort of the paralegal's hand upon her leg. "You weren't hurt. That was all I cared about in the end." Bonnie said honestly.

"I just... I didn't wanna run away neither but... I wasn't about ta' end up on no leash in front of all those people..." Bonnie said through her held back tears, imaging the humilating sight of Allison leading her on a leash while Jocelyn laughed at her. The two of them taking turns. The crowd would surely love it, but for Bonnie, she saw such a thing to be a nightmare for her.

Mercy blushed as she felt Bonnie's hand on her leg. She placed her hand over Bonnie's and smiled, holding onto her water with the other. "You should... worry about more than that." Mercy said, shrugging her shoulders a bit. "I've been in worse situations... with Allison.. She added.

Mercy sighed and took a drink, setting her water down and looking at Bonnie again. "There's nothing cowardly about living to fight another day, you know." Mercy said. "You're trying your best, I know you are." Mercy paused. "But... you're worked up. You're letting her get hot headed and she's using that to control you, us..." Mercy added herself into things. There's nothing heroic about making a final stand... Especially when the people you're trying to protect are just going to get hurt because of it. Anyone who loves you isn't going to think bad of you for making a withdrawal. And who cares what anyone else thinks?"

Mercy closed her eyes. "I should have done more, I should have ... I don't know. Who knows? Well, it's over now. You should go home and get some rest and put it out of your mind for a while."

Bonnie was a proud girl, retreating wasn't an easy thing for her. But Mercy's words gave her comfort.The Secretary simply understood her, though it was said too how clear as day it was that Allison was toying with her mind and emotions.

The blonde then furrowed her brow regarding heroics, supposing Mercy was right. It would be dumb to proudly defend Mercy while Bonnie herself was easily taken down, instead of both of them getting out safely. But running with an unconscious Mercy while weak seemed impossible at the time.

Bonnie quickly interjected as Mercy blamed herself, firmly patting her leg.

"No... You did enough..." Bonnie said with assurance. "....I never wanted you 'ta get hurt Mercy or... Touched like that." Bonnie couldn't think of a better word besides fucked or tribbed.

"You were really brave back there. Standin' up 'ta Allison and even helpin me out. You had my back real good." Bonnie said humbly.

"Eeeehhh..." Mercy turned her head and blushed. "It's not the first time she did that." The paralegal said, thinking about the first time. "It was just the way she did it and I..." Mercy sighed and frowned. "Fuck my life." She added with an exasperated sigh. She turned and looked back at Bonnie and smiled. "I'm not really a brave person I just." She paused. "Did Clyde ever tell you what happened with Allison and I?" She asked sheepishly.

However, before she could answer the door was slung open and Duffy looked around, quickly finding Bonnie and rushing over to her. "Oi! Ya ok!?" Duffy said, throwing herself at Bonnie and squeezing her tightly. "Shite!" She growled and nuzzled Bonnie's cheek.

Bonnie's eyes widened quickly at Mercy's startling revelation, that Allison had apparently molested Mercy before. Bonnie would frown deeply after hearing that, visibly angered by the idea of Allison thinking she could just have her way with Mercy, who looked visibly troubled just speaking about it. The ordeal had clearly not been pleasant for her.

"Aww... Mercy it's ok-" She began to comfort her friend before pausing when she was told Clyde knew. It differently explained his anger towards Allison but how the hell he kept quiet about it was beyond belief! But Bonnie didn't care about that, Mercy just needed to know that it wasn't her fault.

"Well no, b-" Suddenly the door shot open and in came... "D-Duff!" Bonnie cried, opening her arms as the scot plowed her into the couch. Bonnie ran her hand down the back of Duffy's hand and squeezed her as tight as she could.

"I-I'm... I'm alright." She choked through some tears, burying her head against Duffy's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Clyde had drunkenly staggered into the doorway, having clung to Duffy to stay upright before having to cling to the wall when she dashed for the door. He stepped inside, panting heavily before he spotted Bonnie and Mercy with Duffy, he nodded and eased his breathing. They were all okay.

Just behind Clyde, another figure stepped into the doorway, a meek silhouette in a black wool peacoat with flame red hair, unnoticed at first.

Her face was streaked with the paths of old tears. Her footsteps were so timid they made no sound, but her breathing came heavy and halting, on the verge of panic. Her clear blue eyes looked past the others to Bonnie, pleadingly. She looked scared to death.

"B-Bonnie..." Emily said, and sniffled. She was too stiff to raise a hand to wipe away the tears that welled up under her eyes.

Clyde felt a little ashamed at being tricked, drunk and unable to protect Bonnie. But she was safe and it brought it him great relief. Looking at Mercy made him shy. But before he worked up the nerve to go check on her he heard a voice behind him that made him jump.

Bonnie lifted her teary face from Duffy's shoulder, her eyes going wide as her face was clearly looking on in disbelief. "E-Emily!" Bonnie exclaimed, lightly pushing Duffy off her, using her shoulder to help her stand up.

Clyde saw the tears and was visibly awe struck he backed off and staggered near Mercy, looking her over for any damage, she looked okay. "B-...Mercy... Are ya okay?" He smiled wounded at her before trying to clutch her tightly, he wanted to hold her. But even so, right now though, he and Bonnie couldn't keep their eyes off Emily, the blue eyed girl who had clearly been crying.

"W-What are you doin' here? Whats the matter?" Bonnie tried to sound as friendly as possible, she was genuinely welcoming but she wondered if what happened in the ring had affected her enough to bring her to tears. Poor girl had seen her hero look like a monster.

Emily stood there helplessly, arms at her sides, looking like a sad shadow of the sourly defiant girl they had met before. Her eyes wandered up toward Bonnie, but her face was toward the floor.

"I... I'm..." She stammered in a voice like a whisper, and the words caught in her throat.. She squeezed her fingers against her sweaty palms.

Mercy watched the pile of people slip into the room and before she could even blink, drunk Clyde was trying to get all grabby handed. Normally she would shove him away from her, but with half the room in tears already and with everything that happened just a short time ago in the match, she resigned herself to his clinginess. Honestly, she kinda DID want to see Clyde, but because she was Mercedes Wrenn, of course a sweet moment was ruined by him being drunk and sad tears from everyone else. She sighed and slipped an arm around him.

"Hello, Clyde."

Duffy watched as well as the tear soaked red head followed her and Clyde. She hadn't noticed but she knew she didn't have the keen senses of a hawk, even sober. She was as confused as anyone else but as Emily seemed to be begging for Bonnie, Duffy frowned and gave her girlfriend a pat on the back, a quick encouraging rub and then shoved her at the teary red head.