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"Okay, so remember what I showed you. Remember, I run at you for a clothesline and you duck!"
Karen nodded as she prepared herself for the spot. Bending forward slightly at the waist, she waited for ODB to make her move. Then, just in the nick of time, the brunette ducked under her arm, avoiding the move.
"Very good!" the TNA Knockout enthusiastically praised her. "Looks like you got it!"
Karen's head turned in the direction of clapping she suddenly heard. For some reason, her guard went up for a minute, as she couldn't help but think it might be Kurt. However, her soon-to-be ex-husband was not the source of the applause after all, and she felt a smile spreading across her lips.
"Way to go, Karen," AJ said with a soft, adoring smile.
She mouthed a 'thank you' to him and reluctantly turned back to face ODB again. They had a lot more work to do. While she pretty much had defense down at this point, she wasn't too keen on the offense part just yet. She knew that was her next lesson.
"Okay, so, we have to get you a finisher."
"Excuse me?"
ODB gestured with one hand.
"You know, a finishing maneuver."
"Oh." Karen felt stupid. She should have known immediately what the other woman meant. After all, she'd only been married to a pro-wrestler for the last twelve years.
"How about a powerbomb?" ODB suddenly suggested. "Awesome Kong and Roxxi both use variations of that as their finisher."
Before the brunette could issue a response, AJ approached the ring and spoke instead.
"ODB, she can't do that. She's not strong enough."
Karen stared at her boyfriend, feeling a slight twinge. While it was true that she wasn't exactly a pillar of strength physically, his words hurt a little. Didn't he have faith in her?
"We're only talking about itty bitty Christy Hemme," the Knockout pointed out. "She's what, all of a hundred and twelve pounds soaking wet?"
"Even still..."
"AJ, let me decide for myself," the tall brunette cut in. There was a slight extra edge in her tone that she hadn't meant to slip out and she softened. "I know you're only trying to help, but please let me speak for myself."
"I only want what's best for you," the dark-haired man stated. He appeared the tiniest bit hurt.
"I know, AJ... I know."
There was a brief moment of somewhat tense silence. Finally, Karen couldn't take it anymore. She started to speak again, but AJ interrupted.
"Look, I know you two have a lot of ground to cover with the training... I'll just get out of your way and leave you to it." He turned and started heading back the way he'd come.
Karen felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. She watched him leave and felt awful.
"AJ..." But he didn't respond, as he'd already left.
Several minutes later, she had pushed the incident to the back of her mind as ODB continued with the training session. She taught her how to deliver an Irish whip, hiptoss, Russian legsweep and various other basic maneuvers. They hadn't discussed another possible finisher just yet.
Karen was just getting the hang of a few of the moves when she suddenly heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. Her attention was drawn in the same direction of where AJ had left awhile earlier.
The source of the throat clearing, Christy Hemme, and her boyfriend, Jimmy Rave, caused the brunette's eyes to narrow. The redhead's arms were crossed lightly over her chest, and her face wore a most amused smile. Clearly, seh thought this training session was a joke.
"Well, isn't this cute?" she asked, directing the question to Rave. "The trophy wife is training!"
As the blond man laughed in response, ODB came to stand beside Karen by the ropes nearest to the two intruders.
"Don't bite - that's exactly what she wants you to do."
But the brunette was far too headstrong to heed the woman's advice. Her face grew full of indignation as she addressed the other Knockout.
"What the hell do you want, Christy?"
"Oh, nothing," the little redhead replied with an indifferent shrug. A big smile came to her face as she felt Rave's arm go around her waist. "But I do have a little message to pass onto you from Kurt."
Karen rolled her eyes, but curiosity took over.
"And just what might that be?" she demanded.
"Nothing much," Christy replied. An evil smirk took residence on her lips as she concluded. "Just that if you're in the ring with him at any time during our match, he's gonna snap your damn ankle." The redhead cackled with malicious laughter.
Karen's blood ran cold as ice as a chill of fear crept up her spine.