Post by Gavin Grimes on Aug 10, 2016 20:54:41 GMT -5
[Off Camera]
[Making Up]
[Ash & Gavin's Apartment]
[7:00 PM on Friday August 5th, 2016]
Gavin had just finished his previous promo and was still sitting at the bar stool that he had done it from. He was staring at his phone, looking over at Ashleigh Grimes’ Twitter page which now said her name as ‘Ashleigh Jericho’. She also took away the picture from their wedding off of her header and Gavin shakes his head as he stares at it. He eventually clicks into Ashleigh’s DM’s and starts to message her.
[Text Messages]
Please change your name back on Twitter.
Why?
I only reacted to you saying that ‘the Grimes name wasn't really a badge of honor.’ Me calling you Jericho was for other reasons and I'm not justifying what I said... But we should talk in person…
We can talk. Not changing my name back. Not sure I ever will. Maybe Jericho suits me in the ring.
You want me to come home then?
It's a free world, Grimes. You can do what you want.
There are three shots in front of Gavin and he downs all of them consecutively before he uses the Uber application on his phone to get home. Thirty minutes go by before Gavin stumbles into the apartment, wreaking of alcohol. His hair is a unkempt and his eyes are bloodshot. He ends up slamming his back into the wall and he slides down it into a sitting position. He keeps his eyes pointed down at the carpet under him as he whispers under his breath.
Gavin Grimes: "I'm sorry."
She looks over at him from the couch where she's sitting with her tablet.
Ashleigh Grimes: "Good. You're a mess, go to bed."
He looks up at her and shakes his head before he starts to speak, saying his words slowly so that he's understandable and doesn't slur.
Gavin Grimes: "I don't want to do anything until we talk and I can make this right."
She sighs and stares over at him.
Ashleigh Grimes: "And I don't want to talk to you until I know I'm talking to the real you and not a drunken sorry you."
He stands up and holds onto the wall to keep his balance as he slowly walks to the hallway.
Gavin Grimes: "We don't have to talk but can you wait with me until I fall asleep?"
She glances over and then back to her table.
Ashleigh Grimes: "No."
Gavin’s eyes get glassy but he doesn't look at her as he stumbles to their room before crashing down onto the bed. He doesn't fall asleep, he just lies there and stares at the ceiling while Ash simply stays on the couch, playing around with her tablet. Two hours go by and Gavin walks out to the living room, wearing a fresh pair of clothes, which is a tank top and a pair of basketball shorts. His hair is a bit wet and it's obvious he just took a shower. He sees Ash asleep on the couch and he walks up to her before kneeling down and rubbing her arm.
Gavin Grimes: "Hey babe."
Ashleigh slowly opens her eyes, smiling when she first sees him. Then the memories come rushing back and she leers before rolling over so her back is to him. Gavin frowns and sighs before he squeezes Ash’s shoulder with his hand.
Gavin Grimes: "Babe, I'm not drunk anymore and this is the real me telling you that I'm sorry."
His eyes are already filling up with tears, her immediately reaction to seeing him was more than enough to make him feel like shit.
Gavin Grimes: "Please, talk to me."
She continues staring at the back of the couch.
Ashleigh Grimes: "About what, Grimes?"
Gavin Grimes: "You don't need to say anything or even look at me... Just let me talk, yeah?"
Ashleigh Grimes: "Still a free country."
He sighs before taking a deep breath.
Gavin Grimes: "I'm sorry that I let my anger get the best of me today. I said so many things that I didn't mean. When I kept calling you 'Jericho', I was basically saying it's all about you. Grimes means us, you and me. So yeah, it was stupid and I'm an idiot."
Gavin pauses as he rubs his hand over Ash’s shoulder.
Gavin Grimes: "I just lost it when you said I would lose to Avery, so I said whatever came to mind to get back at you. It just felt like you didn't believe in me and I freaked the fuck out instead of saying that's how you were making me feel. I've never heard you say that you think I'm going to lose to someone. And when I said you tainted the name Grimes, I only said that because you said it's not a badge of honor to have the name basically. And you're right... It's a shit name that came from shit people and I'm a monster just like them. I'm mean and angry and hurtful to the people who love me.”
He looks as if he’s about to cry.
Gavin Grimes: "Keep Jericho as your in ring name and do what you think is best for you. I'm a piece of shit and I don't deserve to be married to you." He lets go of her arm and sits back down on the ground, burying his hands into his face.”
She doesn't turn around.
Ashleigh Grimes: "Seriously? If every time we fight you're going to cry about your parents then you might as well forget about us because you can't even escape them."
Gavin Grimes: "You're right, I can't. I'm sorry I led you on to think that I was a stronger person. I'll just stop wasting your time."
Gavin stands up and walks back to the room and Ashleigh keeps her back turned towards the couch. After about five minutes, Gavin walks back out to the living room with a gym bag in his hand.
Gavin Grimes: "I packed this bag so tell me what you want me to do. Do you want me here or do you want me to leave? Whatever you want from me, I'll do. I’ve been acting like a piece of shit and I don’t deserve to stay here. So tell me what you want, please.”
She rolls over and looks at him, clearly agitated.
Ashleigh Grimes: "I want you to grow a set of balls and take ownership of your hang ups. It's time to stop hiding behind your parents. You got angry the second you saw me watching footage of you because how dare I think about beating you. You tell me it's fine. You tell me it's okay, but it's not. The truth is I did fuck up NGW for you or at least there's a part of you that believes that. And yes, I think Avery has a chance to pull this one and surprise you, but guess what, he'd have the same chance against me. He's the classic letdown match for you or I. He has everything to gain and we have bigger matches to look forward to. In fact Avery's a lot like you, only you're better, but why wouldn't I think someone similar to you might have what it takes to rise above the odds and snatch a victory? But fuck me, right? Fuck me for expressing my opinion. Fuck me for saying ANYTHING wrestling related to you that isn't, 'oh my god Gav, you're the bestest ever." So do I want you to stay? Yeah, I do. But I want you to stop lashing out at me because you're insecure about your career and then crying about your parents and blaming them for this shit."
He drops the bag and keeps his eyes on hers.
Gavin Grimes: "You're right. I'm an insecure asshole and it's nobody's fault but my own. Every time I feel like your support for me is starting to get tugged away, I panic and freak out and I do that because I feel like you're the only one who really believes in me. You're the only one I don't have to prove anything to."
He looks at the ground and shakes his head in disappointment. .
Gavin Grimes: "I'm sorry for being an insecure fucking idiot. I'm so fucking sorry."
Ashleigh lets out a sigh.
Ashleigh Grimes: "Can you apologize to me without calling yourself a million names. I understand your thought process, it doesn't mean you're an idiot. If you know that I support you then you have to be able to understand that criticism or concern from me is coming from a loving place."
Gavin looks back up at Ashleigh and nods his head.
Gavin Grimes: "I understand. I just... I'm not used to criticism like that. I'm not blaming anyone either I'm just saying that I'm just used to criticism that's meant to bring me down. I can't say I'm going to change overnight and be perfect but I'm going to work on this problem the best I can."
Ashleigh shakes her head.
Ashleigh Grimes: "It wasn't criticism so much as concern. But yeah, I laid it on a little thick because you pissed me off when you got all defensive about me reviewing footage. I wasn't trying to talk down to you by saying reviewing the way I do wouldn't help you. It's just the way it is because your brain doesn't work like mine does, which trust me is lucky for you."
Gavin walks up to the couch and sits down next to Ashleigh. He then places both of his hands on her shoulders and looks her in the eyes.
Gavin Grimes: "Your brain is perfect the way it is and so are you. I'm nothing without you and so is the name Grimes because you've given me and my name meaning."
He pauses as he keeps his eyes on hers.
Gavin Grimes: "And it's not through wrestling or anything else... It's through your love and being married to me. You've given my life meaning and our marriage is all that matters to me."
Gavin smiles for the first time all night.
Gavin Grimes: “So if you want to go by Ashleigh Jericho as a wrestler, it's fine by me... As long as you're Ashleigh Grimes in your personal life."
With her eyes focused on his, Ash swallows hard.
Ashleigh Grimes: "I've always wanted to be Ashleigh Grimes because Ashleigh Jericho has no family, no one ever wanted her. So to hear you call by my old name and to say I wasn't worthy of having the Grimes name just..."
Ash’s eyes begin to well up and she shakes her head before Gavin pulls her in and wraps his arms around her.
Gavin Grimes: "I'm so sorry, Ash, I'm so fucking sorry.”
He leans back so that he can look her into the eyes once more.
Gavin Grimes: “I promise I'll never say anything like that again and I'll never, ever call you Jericho. You have a family and it's me. We have each other and we always will."
Ashleigh pulls herself into Gavin and seems to melt into his warmth like its where she belongs. Within seconds of holding herself close she's sound asleep. With his arms wrapped around her, he lies down on the couch and holds onto his wife before falling asleep as well.
[On Camera]
[The Fight Never Ends]
[Las Vegas, NV]
[August 10th, 2016]
The scene opens up with Gavin standing in front of a door of an apartment. He stares at it like he’d just seen a ghost. After a few moments, he puts the key in the lock and unlocks the door before opening it and walking into the apartment. The camera pans around the living room and kitchen, which are the only visible parts of the apartment when walking in. The light brown carpet is torn all over the place and there are stains everywhere. The walls are of the place are dirty and having taggings, showing that the walls haven’t been painted over in years. Gavin finds his way to the middle of the living room and he stands there for a moment, looking around at his familiar surroundings. He soaks it in for a moment before glancing over at the camera and his body language is showing that this is a serious moment.
Gavin Grimes: “This is where it starts for me. Everything you see here, it used to be my kingdom. Simply put, I was king nothing. I was on my own and had nothing to my name, living a lonely life in Las Vegas with absolutely nothing going for me. I could’ve given up and started to panhandle on the streets like the other bums who live in Vegas but I kept fighting. I lived in several crappy apartments during my first year in Vegas but this one was the shittiest while also being the one that I was able to pay the bill for the longest. I fought tooth and nail to keep this roof under my head but eventually, I failed. I lost my job and in turn, I lost this ‘kingdom’ of mine. This wasn’t a thing that happened once… It was a regular occurrence, it was Gavin Grimes living as far under the poverty line that you could get. But this is the last time I let myself down… The last time I let those sperm and egg donors be right about me.”
“You all know the story after this; I go to Chris Night’s wrestling school, beg him and Xavier Young to take me in and then I train with them for almost three years. But I didn’t just get to start off quickly like some people. I had to pay my dues by cleaning the gym everyday, I had to sit back and watch before I was allowed to get involved. While everyone who could pay for their training got to jump in right away, I had to be patient and watch. I guess that’s how I became so good at watching tape of my opponents and learning all of their habits; good and bad alike. Desperation to be great made me pay attention until I finally got my shot to train with everyone else. I wanted to start right away but that waiting I was forced to do was a blessing in disguise.”
He walks up to the wall off the living room and runs his hand over the spray painted taggings on it. With his hand still on the wall, he continues on.
Gavin Grimes: “Three years later and this wall is still the same. Living in a place like this changes your outlook on life. Some people are content with this kind of life, they’re content with struggling to survive. As for me? I was never content with this and I never want to go back to this which is why I fight so hard, why I put my body on the line every time I step through the ropes. This is why I trained the hardest, why I beat almost everyone who crossed my path when I started off in Portland Pro, which as Avery pointed out, doesn’t exist anymore. Portland is gone but Avery is still here is basically how he put it. I get that, Avery, I do. Just like how I understand how Portland helped me grow, just like this shitty apartment did, just like training for Xavier and Chris did. But the one consistent thing about me throughout all of these experiences, even when I did slip up and fail, was that I never quit and I never gave up.”
“I’m not some unstoppable force that hasn’t failed before, Avery. I’ve failed in my personal life, I failed three times in Portland Pro Wrestling and I even failed once in NGW as well. Sure, Kenzie got pinned but I didn’t make the save. I know what failure feels like but some people experience it differently than others. You’re okay with failure because in your own words, you have a loving girlfriend and daughter to go home to. Congratulations, Avery, that’s great for you. But that attitude is the exact reason why you’re not going to beat me because this sport doesn’t mean the same to you as it does me. This is EVERYTHING for me. Failure hurts, it fucking stings but it also teaches us more about ourselves. I’ve explained and shown how I’ve failed and how I never gave up. A man’s character isn’t judged when he’s celebrating a victory but it’s judged for how he reacts when his back is up against a wall.”
“Despite some similarities we have, we are different. Some people might call me cocky, arrogant, confident and all of the above but no matter what I’ve said prior to my match with my opponents… I always give them the respect that they deserve because they ALWAYS bring the fight of their lives to me. Dirk Bentley did it, Blyss Lockhart did it, Kenzie did it, AoD did it, Sasha Foote did it and so on. After all of those matches, did I gloat afterwards? Did I rub it in their faces like some arrogant, cocky piece of shit would? Or did I show them respect? What happened after you took the title from Jenson? Did you say great match or did you gloat? Nah, you gloated about Taylor coming home to a double champion. So who’s really the arrogant one here?”
His eyes look up in the air as he pretends to ponder over the question.
Gavin Grimes: ”I’ve gone up against setbacks and failures that you couldn’t possibly imagine because you don’t know me like you think you do and despite those things I went through, I STILL never quit and gave up. I kept pushing and kept fighting. I’ve always picked myself up, brushed myself off and adapted to whatever situation that I’ve been thrown to and I came out looking better than anyone else; not because I say it but because I DO IT! But there are people out there who have lost faith in me because of my attitude, because of the way I believe in myself, which includes you, Avery. What? You don’t think I didn’t notice your low key digs? Like how you talked about how you would much rather play tea with a three year old than ‘have this air of battling with those around me.’ But oh, let’s not forget about how you touched on the fact that I’ve had to fight to survive, which was followed by the classic line, ‘even fighting with your wife.’”
Gavin scoffs as he starts to pace around the room. He then stops and his gaze is back on the camera and the look in his eyes are now angry.
Gavin Grimes: “The guy who started this whole thing off begging and pleading with me to make this not personal is now throwing out personal shots. Maybe Jenson is right, maybe you are a low key bully and you’re afraid to admit it. Who fucking knows, right? You want to bring up how I fight with Ash all the time? How about the fact that I FIGHT FOR Ash all the time. You know, there was a time in early in our relationship where Ashleigh tried to end it. Ash simply left me alone by myself one night, and all that I had were a couple of text messages from her telling me goodbye and that she wasn’t good enough for me; that she didn’t deserve me.”
Gavin’s eyes get glassy as he thinks about the moment.
Gavin Grimes: ”First off, let me say that Ashleigh Grimes deserves the world. People pretend to know her, what she’s like and where she came from but none of you have any idea. She is the best human being that I’ve ever met and that’s why I WILL ALWAYS fight for her. But you know, I could of pulled an Avery Miles and let Ashleigh go, just like how you let Alycia up and leave. But no, I DID WHAT I ALWAYS DO! I FUCKING FOUGHT! I fought for Ashleigh and I kept fighting until I made her realize that she did deserve to be in a great relationship, which is what we do have. I told her that she deserved to be treated right and that she deserved to be loved and you know what? She’s been telling me the same fucking thing since day one. Yes, we go at it with a war of words at times but we’re perfect for each other and I made sure Ashleigh knew that then and I we both make sure to let each other know that now.”
“That’s the difference between you and I, Ave, I keep on fighting and you’re just content with being you and moving on to something else. So yes, I will keep on doing things the way I do them and you will keep doing things the way you do them. Like how uou asked to start at the bottom of NGW even though you have a record of seventeen wins and seven losses here. By those standards, you’re one of the most successful competitors in NGW’s history and right now you have more NGW wins than any of us do, even me. But YOU want to be at the bottom and why? So you can keep on racking up wins against the people who aren’t top names? Dirk Bentley has seven wins and five losses and two of those losses are at my hands but do you see him avoiding me or other top names so that he can ‘work his way up.’ Hell, even you and Levi beat him and Corey; two men that have been in MY division. But yet, you’re happy sitting content as the Marquee Champion and YOU asked for it. Nobody told you to do it.”
“All this shows is that you’re content with mediocrity. You said so yourself by saying that you’re fine losing because you get to go home to your loving family. I’ve experienced losses and I do get to go home to Ashleigh afterwards but guess what? I learn from the losses and I get better. I go back and watch over the tape, see all the little things that I did wrong and I improve on them. You can ask Ash for yourself, I fucking obsess over it. It’s probably why, you know, I don’t LOSE anymore. Will it happen? Will I lose eventually? Sure I will but will it be against Avery Miles? Fuck no, it won’t. You don’t have what it takes to beat me Avery, even if you beat Jenson Idol for the Heritage Championship, because guess what? I’m NOT Jenson Idol and THIS IS NOT IPW! I’m Gavin motherfucking Grimes and this is NGW.”
“This is the company that dominated IPW at Versus under MY leadership, not you, you fucking rising star. Get out of here with that shit. As for me being pushed forward in the absence of Dead Eye and Bronx Valescence? First off, I was coming for Dead Eye’s championship no matter what because guess what? I won this little thing called Rags 2 Riches and I was next in line for a shot. As for Bronx? Didn’t I make that bitch tap out? Oh that’s right, I did. Don’t get it twisted, I didn’t get ‘pushed’ into the spotlight, I FUCKING TOOK IT AND RAN WITH IT. So ahead and keep bringing up your victory over Jenson Idol and how impressive it is and how you’re now the Heritage Champion. Keep on talking about how you beat a guy that's only lost twice until he ran into you. Bravo, Avery, bravo. The thing is, even by the way you talked about that match, it was an upset victory, even in your opinion. You probably still can’t believe you won.”
“But upset victories? I don't have those anymore and do you want to know why? Because I am the gold standard, I set the fucking bar. I just go out there and win and dominate every fucking week. You want to talk about how you simply beat the people that Devlin puts in front of you? If Devlin even THOUGHT of putting John Blade or KEG in front of me, I'd tell him he's an idiot and to give me another match, a better challenge. Why else do you think I sought out the Sasha Foote match? Because I wasn't content with fighting Heath Sommersby. I'm not content with being handed victories like you are, Avery, I'm content when I EARN them."
Gavin is now glaring into the camera and there’s a mixture of passion and anger burning in his eyes. He takes a deep breath and exhales before continuing on.
Gavin Grimes: “Don’t try to put words into my mouth, Avery. I know my match with Ashleigh is a month away but my focus IS on you. Ask people who actually know me and they’ll tell you that my focus is always on the task at hand. I don’t look ahead, I stay in the present. There was an interesting thing that you brought up that caught my attention, Avery. You talked about how even the best break and wear down. The best part of that statement is that it also rings true for those who aren’t the best; it rings true for you. You think I’m breaking down? I’m well rested, Avery, you just fought three matches in the matter of what? Four nights? Now you’ve got these hurt ribs that you’ve had for a couple of weeks now but as for me? I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in a couple of months. I haven’t wrestled a match since I beat Sasha but you’ve had four matches since then.”
“So who’s really heading into this match breaking down, is it me or is it really you? I think the proof is there for everyone to see who’s going into this match hobbled. It’s you, not me, that’s breaking down right now; our paths are going into entirely different directions. Another thing you brought up is that I’m not special or perfect. First of all, I think my five month reign as the NGW Unified Heavyweight Champion says that there is something special about me. I think my twenty-seven wins and four losses say that there is something special about me. But as for me being perfect? I’ve never claimed to be perfect and I never will. Nobody is perfect and we all have slip ups but do you want to know why I’m so goddamned successful?”
“It’s because I chase perfection. It might be a never ending chase but it’s one that I’ll never stop going after. Even while I sit here at the top of the mountain, I try to figure out ways in which I can get better so that someone like you can’t sneak up on me and get a win over me. You’re good, Avery, I’ve never denied that; the thing is, you’re not great and the only person you can blame for that is yourself. You run away from your potential and it’s clear for me to see. What could you be in NGW if you didn’t run to all of these other companies and sign full on contracts? You asked to be in mediocrity in the Marquee division because your focus is elsewhere and not solely on NGW. Sure, I’ve taken a couple outside matches but NGW is my home and it always will be.”
“Even though your career truly started here, you run from it because you’re scared to compete with the likes of me, Ashleigh, Aurora and others. You come up with all these excuses but there is no excuse for running. It’s why you’ve moved on so quickly from the horrible death of your wife, God rest her soul, before moving on from the miscarriages and onto what you have now. You run to the next shiny thing you see that replaces the hurt that you previously had. I bring this up because you brought up my personal life and said that I should be happy because of my marriage and my accomplishments in NGW; that’s the thing, Avery, I am happy and I never said I wasn’t. That doesn’t mean that I run away from what I’ve been through and just forget about it. That doesn’t mean that I don’t let my past fuel me and inspire me. It’s a part of who I am, it’s a part of Gavin Grimes.”
“So don’t get it twisted, I’m not looking for sympathy over what has happened to me or what I’ve been through because it has made me who I am; it made me the man that Ashleigh Grimes fell in love with and that means more to me than anything. It also made me the man who became the face of NGW, the man who’s the greatest star NGW has ever had in it’s history and that’s something you nor anyone else can deny. I’ve never given up on myself and it’s because of Ashleigh and because of my fans in NGW. Despite my shortcomings, my flaws, despite my hot temper and cockiness, there are still people out there who support me and they are my everything. My road to Victory and Honor goes through you Avery. I need to once again prove to everyone that I can’t be… No… I need to prove that I WON’T be stopped in that ring. While your fight sometimes ends… Mine never does.”
“Which brings me to the point that you can bring the fight of your life against me but it won’t matter. Just like everyone else who has had their best match ever against me, you’re going to slip up and falter just like them and I’ll give you the props you deserve after the match but the outcome will be what it always is…. Shae announcing these words… ‘Your winner… The NGW Unified Heavyweight Champion…. Gavin Grimes’”
Gavin walks out of the apartment and the scene cuts out.
[END]
[Making Up]
[Ash & Gavin's Apartment]
[7:00 PM on Friday August 5th, 2016]
Gavin had just finished his previous promo and was still sitting at the bar stool that he had done it from. He was staring at his phone, looking over at Ashleigh Grimes’ Twitter page which now said her name as ‘Ashleigh Jericho’. She also took away the picture from their wedding off of her header and Gavin shakes his head as he stares at it. He eventually clicks into Ashleigh’s DM’s and starts to message her.
[Text Messages]
Please change your name back on Twitter.
Why?
I only reacted to you saying that ‘the Grimes name wasn't really a badge of honor.’ Me calling you Jericho was for other reasons and I'm not justifying what I said... But we should talk in person…
We can talk. Not changing my name back. Not sure I ever will. Maybe Jericho suits me in the ring.
You want me to come home then?
It's a free world, Grimes. You can do what you want.
There are three shots in front of Gavin and he downs all of them consecutively before he uses the Uber application on his phone to get home. Thirty minutes go by before Gavin stumbles into the apartment, wreaking of alcohol. His hair is a unkempt and his eyes are bloodshot. He ends up slamming his back into the wall and he slides down it into a sitting position. He keeps his eyes pointed down at the carpet under him as he whispers under his breath.
Gavin Grimes: "I'm sorry."
She looks over at him from the couch where she's sitting with her tablet.
Ashleigh Grimes: "Good. You're a mess, go to bed."
He looks up at her and shakes his head before he starts to speak, saying his words slowly so that he's understandable and doesn't slur.
Gavin Grimes: "I don't want to do anything until we talk and I can make this right."
She sighs and stares over at him.
Ashleigh Grimes: "And I don't want to talk to you until I know I'm talking to the real you and not a drunken sorry you."
He stands up and holds onto the wall to keep his balance as he slowly walks to the hallway.
Gavin Grimes: "We don't have to talk but can you wait with me until I fall asleep?"
She glances over and then back to her table.
Ashleigh Grimes: "No."
Gavin’s eyes get glassy but he doesn't look at her as he stumbles to their room before crashing down onto the bed. He doesn't fall asleep, he just lies there and stares at the ceiling while Ash simply stays on the couch, playing around with her tablet. Two hours go by and Gavin walks out to the living room, wearing a fresh pair of clothes, which is a tank top and a pair of basketball shorts. His hair is a bit wet and it's obvious he just took a shower. He sees Ash asleep on the couch and he walks up to her before kneeling down and rubbing her arm.
Gavin Grimes: "Hey babe."
Ashleigh slowly opens her eyes, smiling when she first sees him. Then the memories come rushing back and she leers before rolling over so her back is to him. Gavin frowns and sighs before he squeezes Ash’s shoulder with his hand.
Gavin Grimes: "Babe, I'm not drunk anymore and this is the real me telling you that I'm sorry."
His eyes are already filling up with tears, her immediately reaction to seeing him was more than enough to make him feel like shit.
Gavin Grimes: "Please, talk to me."
She continues staring at the back of the couch.
Ashleigh Grimes: "About what, Grimes?"
Gavin Grimes: "You don't need to say anything or even look at me... Just let me talk, yeah?"
Ashleigh Grimes: "Still a free country."
He sighs before taking a deep breath.
Gavin Grimes: "I'm sorry that I let my anger get the best of me today. I said so many things that I didn't mean. When I kept calling you 'Jericho', I was basically saying it's all about you. Grimes means us, you and me. So yeah, it was stupid and I'm an idiot."
Gavin pauses as he rubs his hand over Ash’s shoulder.
Gavin Grimes: "I just lost it when you said I would lose to Avery, so I said whatever came to mind to get back at you. It just felt like you didn't believe in me and I freaked the fuck out instead of saying that's how you were making me feel. I've never heard you say that you think I'm going to lose to someone. And when I said you tainted the name Grimes, I only said that because you said it's not a badge of honor to have the name basically. And you're right... It's a shit name that came from shit people and I'm a monster just like them. I'm mean and angry and hurtful to the people who love me.”
He looks as if he’s about to cry.
Gavin Grimes: "Keep Jericho as your in ring name and do what you think is best for you. I'm a piece of shit and I don't deserve to be married to you." He lets go of her arm and sits back down on the ground, burying his hands into his face.”
She doesn't turn around.
Ashleigh Grimes: "Seriously? If every time we fight you're going to cry about your parents then you might as well forget about us because you can't even escape them."
Gavin Grimes: "You're right, I can't. I'm sorry I led you on to think that I was a stronger person. I'll just stop wasting your time."
Gavin stands up and walks back to the room and Ashleigh keeps her back turned towards the couch. After about five minutes, Gavin walks back out to the living room with a gym bag in his hand.
Gavin Grimes: "I packed this bag so tell me what you want me to do. Do you want me here or do you want me to leave? Whatever you want from me, I'll do. I’ve been acting like a piece of shit and I don’t deserve to stay here. So tell me what you want, please.”
She rolls over and looks at him, clearly agitated.
Ashleigh Grimes: "I want you to grow a set of balls and take ownership of your hang ups. It's time to stop hiding behind your parents. You got angry the second you saw me watching footage of you because how dare I think about beating you. You tell me it's fine. You tell me it's okay, but it's not. The truth is I did fuck up NGW for you or at least there's a part of you that believes that. And yes, I think Avery has a chance to pull this one and surprise you, but guess what, he'd have the same chance against me. He's the classic letdown match for you or I. He has everything to gain and we have bigger matches to look forward to. In fact Avery's a lot like you, only you're better, but why wouldn't I think someone similar to you might have what it takes to rise above the odds and snatch a victory? But fuck me, right? Fuck me for expressing my opinion. Fuck me for saying ANYTHING wrestling related to you that isn't, 'oh my god Gav, you're the bestest ever." So do I want you to stay? Yeah, I do. But I want you to stop lashing out at me because you're insecure about your career and then crying about your parents and blaming them for this shit."
He drops the bag and keeps his eyes on hers.
Gavin Grimes: "You're right. I'm an insecure asshole and it's nobody's fault but my own. Every time I feel like your support for me is starting to get tugged away, I panic and freak out and I do that because I feel like you're the only one who really believes in me. You're the only one I don't have to prove anything to."
He looks at the ground and shakes his head in disappointment. .
Gavin Grimes: "I'm sorry for being an insecure fucking idiot. I'm so fucking sorry."
Ashleigh lets out a sigh.
Ashleigh Grimes: "Can you apologize to me without calling yourself a million names. I understand your thought process, it doesn't mean you're an idiot. If you know that I support you then you have to be able to understand that criticism or concern from me is coming from a loving place."
Gavin looks back up at Ashleigh and nods his head.
Gavin Grimes: "I understand. I just... I'm not used to criticism like that. I'm not blaming anyone either I'm just saying that I'm just used to criticism that's meant to bring me down. I can't say I'm going to change overnight and be perfect but I'm going to work on this problem the best I can."
Ashleigh shakes her head.
Ashleigh Grimes: "It wasn't criticism so much as concern. But yeah, I laid it on a little thick because you pissed me off when you got all defensive about me reviewing footage. I wasn't trying to talk down to you by saying reviewing the way I do wouldn't help you. It's just the way it is because your brain doesn't work like mine does, which trust me is lucky for you."
Gavin walks up to the couch and sits down next to Ashleigh. He then places both of his hands on her shoulders and looks her in the eyes.
Gavin Grimes: "Your brain is perfect the way it is and so are you. I'm nothing without you and so is the name Grimes because you've given me and my name meaning."
He pauses as he keeps his eyes on hers.
Gavin Grimes: "And it's not through wrestling or anything else... It's through your love and being married to me. You've given my life meaning and our marriage is all that matters to me."
Gavin smiles for the first time all night.
Gavin Grimes: “So if you want to go by Ashleigh Jericho as a wrestler, it's fine by me... As long as you're Ashleigh Grimes in your personal life."
With her eyes focused on his, Ash swallows hard.
Ashleigh Grimes: "I've always wanted to be Ashleigh Grimes because Ashleigh Jericho has no family, no one ever wanted her. So to hear you call by my old name and to say I wasn't worthy of having the Grimes name just..."
Ash’s eyes begin to well up and she shakes her head before Gavin pulls her in and wraps his arms around her.
Gavin Grimes: "I'm so sorry, Ash, I'm so fucking sorry.”
He leans back so that he can look her into the eyes once more.
Gavin Grimes: “I promise I'll never say anything like that again and I'll never, ever call you Jericho. You have a family and it's me. We have each other and we always will."
Ashleigh pulls herself into Gavin and seems to melt into his warmth like its where she belongs. Within seconds of holding herself close she's sound asleep. With his arms wrapped around her, he lies down on the couch and holds onto his wife before falling asleep as well.
[On Camera]
[The Fight Never Ends]
[Las Vegas, NV]
[August 10th, 2016]
The scene opens up with Gavin standing in front of a door of an apartment. He stares at it like he’d just seen a ghost. After a few moments, he puts the key in the lock and unlocks the door before opening it and walking into the apartment. The camera pans around the living room and kitchen, which are the only visible parts of the apartment when walking in. The light brown carpet is torn all over the place and there are stains everywhere. The walls are of the place are dirty and having taggings, showing that the walls haven’t been painted over in years. Gavin finds his way to the middle of the living room and he stands there for a moment, looking around at his familiar surroundings. He soaks it in for a moment before glancing over at the camera and his body language is showing that this is a serious moment.
Gavin Grimes: “This is where it starts for me. Everything you see here, it used to be my kingdom. Simply put, I was king nothing. I was on my own and had nothing to my name, living a lonely life in Las Vegas with absolutely nothing going for me. I could’ve given up and started to panhandle on the streets like the other bums who live in Vegas but I kept fighting. I lived in several crappy apartments during my first year in Vegas but this one was the shittiest while also being the one that I was able to pay the bill for the longest. I fought tooth and nail to keep this roof under my head but eventually, I failed. I lost my job and in turn, I lost this ‘kingdom’ of mine. This wasn’t a thing that happened once… It was a regular occurrence, it was Gavin Grimes living as far under the poverty line that you could get. But this is the last time I let myself down… The last time I let those sperm and egg donors be right about me.”
“You all know the story after this; I go to Chris Night’s wrestling school, beg him and Xavier Young to take me in and then I train with them for almost three years. But I didn’t just get to start off quickly like some people. I had to pay my dues by cleaning the gym everyday, I had to sit back and watch before I was allowed to get involved. While everyone who could pay for their training got to jump in right away, I had to be patient and watch. I guess that’s how I became so good at watching tape of my opponents and learning all of their habits; good and bad alike. Desperation to be great made me pay attention until I finally got my shot to train with everyone else. I wanted to start right away but that waiting I was forced to do was a blessing in disguise.”
He walks up to the wall off the living room and runs his hand over the spray painted taggings on it. With his hand still on the wall, he continues on.
Gavin Grimes: “Three years later and this wall is still the same. Living in a place like this changes your outlook on life. Some people are content with this kind of life, they’re content with struggling to survive. As for me? I was never content with this and I never want to go back to this which is why I fight so hard, why I put my body on the line every time I step through the ropes. This is why I trained the hardest, why I beat almost everyone who crossed my path when I started off in Portland Pro, which as Avery pointed out, doesn’t exist anymore. Portland is gone but Avery is still here is basically how he put it. I get that, Avery, I do. Just like how I understand how Portland helped me grow, just like this shitty apartment did, just like training for Xavier and Chris did. But the one consistent thing about me throughout all of these experiences, even when I did slip up and fail, was that I never quit and I never gave up.”
“I’m not some unstoppable force that hasn’t failed before, Avery. I’ve failed in my personal life, I failed three times in Portland Pro Wrestling and I even failed once in NGW as well. Sure, Kenzie got pinned but I didn’t make the save. I know what failure feels like but some people experience it differently than others. You’re okay with failure because in your own words, you have a loving girlfriend and daughter to go home to. Congratulations, Avery, that’s great for you. But that attitude is the exact reason why you’re not going to beat me because this sport doesn’t mean the same to you as it does me. This is EVERYTHING for me. Failure hurts, it fucking stings but it also teaches us more about ourselves. I’ve explained and shown how I’ve failed and how I never gave up. A man’s character isn’t judged when he’s celebrating a victory but it’s judged for how he reacts when his back is up against a wall.”
“Despite some similarities we have, we are different. Some people might call me cocky, arrogant, confident and all of the above but no matter what I’ve said prior to my match with my opponents… I always give them the respect that they deserve because they ALWAYS bring the fight of their lives to me. Dirk Bentley did it, Blyss Lockhart did it, Kenzie did it, AoD did it, Sasha Foote did it and so on. After all of those matches, did I gloat afterwards? Did I rub it in their faces like some arrogant, cocky piece of shit would? Or did I show them respect? What happened after you took the title from Jenson? Did you say great match or did you gloat? Nah, you gloated about Taylor coming home to a double champion. So who’s really the arrogant one here?”
His eyes look up in the air as he pretends to ponder over the question.
Gavin Grimes: ”I’ve gone up against setbacks and failures that you couldn’t possibly imagine because you don’t know me like you think you do and despite those things I went through, I STILL never quit and gave up. I kept pushing and kept fighting. I’ve always picked myself up, brushed myself off and adapted to whatever situation that I’ve been thrown to and I came out looking better than anyone else; not because I say it but because I DO IT! But there are people out there who have lost faith in me because of my attitude, because of the way I believe in myself, which includes you, Avery. What? You don’t think I didn’t notice your low key digs? Like how you talked about how you would much rather play tea with a three year old than ‘have this air of battling with those around me.’ But oh, let’s not forget about how you touched on the fact that I’ve had to fight to survive, which was followed by the classic line, ‘even fighting with your wife.’”
Gavin scoffs as he starts to pace around the room. He then stops and his gaze is back on the camera and the look in his eyes are now angry.
Gavin Grimes: “The guy who started this whole thing off begging and pleading with me to make this not personal is now throwing out personal shots. Maybe Jenson is right, maybe you are a low key bully and you’re afraid to admit it. Who fucking knows, right? You want to bring up how I fight with Ash all the time? How about the fact that I FIGHT FOR Ash all the time. You know, there was a time in early in our relationship where Ashleigh tried to end it. Ash simply left me alone by myself one night, and all that I had were a couple of text messages from her telling me goodbye and that she wasn’t good enough for me; that she didn’t deserve me.”
Gavin’s eyes get glassy as he thinks about the moment.
Gavin Grimes: ”First off, let me say that Ashleigh Grimes deserves the world. People pretend to know her, what she’s like and where she came from but none of you have any idea. She is the best human being that I’ve ever met and that’s why I WILL ALWAYS fight for her. But you know, I could of pulled an Avery Miles and let Ashleigh go, just like how you let Alycia up and leave. But no, I DID WHAT I ALWAYS DO! I FUCKING FOUGHT! I fought for Ashleigh and I kept fighting until I made her realize that she did deserve to be in a great relationship, which is what we do have. I told her that she deserved to be treated right and that she deserved to be loved and you know what? She’s been telling me the same fucking thing since day one. Yes, we go at it with a war of words at times but we’re perfect for each other and I made sure Ashleigh knew that then and I we both make sure to let each other know that now.”
“That’s the difference between you and I, Ave, I keep on fighting and you’re just content with being you and moving on to something else. So yes, I will keep on doing things the way I do them and you will keep doing things the way you do them. Like how uou asked to start at the bottom of NGW even though you have a record of seventeen wins and seven losses here. By those standards, you’re one of the most successful competitors in NGW’s history and right now you have more NGW wins than any of us do, even me. But YOU want to be at the bottom and why? So you can keep on racking up wins against the people who aren’t top names? Dirk Bentley has seven wins and five losses and two of those losses are at my hands but do you see him avoiding me or other top names so that he can ‘work his way up.’ Hell, even you and Levi beat him and Corey; two men that have been in MY division. But yet, you’re happy sitting content as the Marquee Champion and YOU asked for it. Nobody told you to do it.”
“All this shows is that you’re content with mediocrity. You said so yourself by saying that you’re fine losing because you get to go home to your loving family. I’ve experienced losses and I do get to go home to Ashleigh afterwards but guess what? I learn from the losses and I get better. I go back and watch over the tape, see all the little things that I did wrong and I improve on them. You can ask Ash for yourself, I fucking obsess over it. It’s probably why, you know, I don’t LOSE anymore. Will it happen? Will I lose eventually? Sure I will but will it be against Avery Miles? Fuck no, it won’t. You don’t have what it takes to beat me Avery, even if you beat Jenson Idol for the Heritage Championship, because guess what? I’m NOT Jenson Idol and THIS IS NOT IPW! I’m Gavin motherfucking Grimes and this is NGW.”
“This is the company that dominated IPW at Versus under MY leadership, not you, you fucking rising star. Get out of here with that shit. As for me being pushed forward in the absence of Dead Eye and Bronx Valescence? First off, I was coming for Dead Eye’s championship no matter what because guess what? I won this little thing called Rags 2 Riches and I was next in line for a shot. As for Bronx? Didn’t I make that bitch tap out? Oh that’s right, I did. Don’t get it twisted, I didn’t get ‘pushed’ into the spotlight, I FUCKING TOOK IT AND RAN WITH IT. So ahead and keep bringing up your victory over Jenson Idol and how impressive it is and how you’re now the Heritage Champion. Keep on talking about how you beat a guy that's only lost twice until he ran into you. Bravo, Avery, bravo. The thing is, even by the way you talked about that match, it was an upset victory, even in your opinion. You probably still can’t believe you won.”
“But upset victories? I don't have those anymore and do you want to know why? Because I am the gold standard, I set the fucking bar. I just go out there and win and dominate every fucking week. You want to talk about how you simply beat the people that Devlin puts in front of you? If Devlin even THOUGHT of putting John Blade or KEG in front of me, I'd tell him he's an idiot and to give me another match, a better challenge. Why else do you think I sought out the Sasha Foote match? Because I wasn't content with fighting Heath Sommersby. I'm not content with being handed victories like you are, Avery, I'm content when I EARN them."
Gavin is now glaring into the camera and there’s a mixture of passion and anger burning in his eyes. He takes a deep breath and exhales before continuing on.
Gavin Grimes: “Don’t try to put words into my mouth, Avery. I know my match with Ashleigh is a month away but my focus IS on you. Ask people who actually know me and they’ll tell you that my focus is always on the task at hand. I don’t look ahead, I stay in the present. There was an interesting thing that you brought up that caught my attention, Avery. You talked about how even the best break and wear down. The best part of that statement is that it also rings true for those who aren’t the best; it rings true for you. You think I’m breaking down? I’m well rested, Avery, you just fought three matches in the matter of what? Four nights? Now you’ve got these hurt ribs that you’ve had for a couple of weeks now but as for me? I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in a couple of months. I haven’t wrestled a match since I beat Sasha but you’ve had four matches since then.”
“So who’s really heading into this match breaking down, is it me or is it really you? I think the proof is there for everyone to see who’s going into this match hobbled. It’s you, not me, that’s breaking down right now; our paths are going into entirely different directions. Another thing you brought up is that I’m not special or perfect. First of all, I think my five month reign as the NGW Unified Heavyweight Champion says that there is something special about me. I think my twenty-seven wins and four losses say that there is something special about me. But as for me being perfect? I’ve never claimed to be perfect and I never will. Nobody is perfect and we all have slip ups but do you want to know why I’m so goddamned successful?”
“It’s because I chase perfection. It might be a never ending chase but it’s one that I’ll never stop going after. Even while I sit here at the top of the mountain, I try to figure out ways in which I can get better so that someone like you can’t sneak up on me and get a win over me. You’re good, Avery, I’ve never denied that; the thing is, you’re not great and the only person you can blame for that is yourself. You run away from your potential and it’s clear for me to see. What could you be in NGW if you didn’t run to all of these other companies and sign full on contracts? You asked to be in mediocrity in the Marquee division because your focus is elsewhere and not solely on NGW. Sure, I’ve taken a couple outside matches but NGW is my home and it always will be.”
“Even though your career truly started here, you run from it because you’re scared to compete with the likes of me, Ashleigh, Aurora and others. You come up with all these excuses but there is no excuse for running. It’s why you’ve moved on so quickly from the horrible death of your wife, God rest her soul, before moving on from the miscarriages and onto what you have now. You run to the next shiny thing you see that replaces the hurt that you previously had. I bring this up because you brought up my personal life and said that I should be happy because of my marriage and my accomplishments in NGW; that’s the thing, Avery, I am happy and I never said I wasn’t. That doesn’t mean that I run away from what I’ve been through and just forget about it. That doesn’t mean that I don’t let my past fuel me and inspire me. It’s a part of who I am, it’s a part of Gavin Grimes.”
“So don’t get it twisted, I’m not looking for sympathy over what has happened to me or what I’ve been through because it has made me who I am; it made me the man that Ashleigh Grimes fell in love with and that means more to me than anything. It also made me the man who became the face of NGW, the man who’s the greatest star NGW has ever had in it’s history and that’s something you nor anyone else can deny. I’ve never given up on myself and it’s because of Ashleigh and because of my fans in NGW. Despite my shortcomings, my flaws, despite my hot temper and cockiness, there are still people out there who support me and they are my everything. My road to Victory and Honor goes through you Avery. I need to once again prove to everyone that I can’t be… No… I need to prove that I WON’T be stopped in that ring. While your fight sometimes ends… Mine never does.”
“Which brings me to the point that you can bring the fight of your life against me but it won’t matter. Just like everyone else who has had their best match ever against me, you’re going to slip up and falter just like them and I’ll give you the props you deserve after the match but the outcome will be what it always is…. Shae announcing these words… ‘Your winner… The NGW Unified Heavyweight Champion…. Gavin Grimes’”
Gavin walks out of the apartment and the scene cuts out.
[END]