There comes a time in everyone's life when things get put into perspective. For some, it's a good event, that really allows the person to appreciate what he or she has, like a new child, a new pet, a promotion allowing someone to pay off all of their debt. It's that happy moment everyone dreams of, when life goes into slow motion, everyone smiles, embraces, even cries, simply due to the shear happiness of the moment.

For others, unfortunately, it isn't as jovial of a situation...

Unfortunately there are those who're forced to have life put in perspective by the likes of a traumatic event, all-in-all bad situation. Typically, it's the kind of mental change that death, loss of job, inability to feed one's family, or even something along the lines of being victimized in some kind of heinous crime. It's a situation nobody wants someone else to be in, let alone themselves, and yet, it's a rather common event to encounter sometime in your life...

... And to add to its unfortunate nature, it's the more common type of the two scenarios.

For Jake Starr's wife, Roeper, it was the latter of the two scenarios that gave her a true perspective of her life as it currently sits.

When the dust settled at Breakdown, and the final images of Jake's lifeless body being tended to by the medical staff were seen by Roeper, her worries of having a husband who couldn't fully aide in raising their unborn child began to overcome her. She began to realize that if he truly was as hurt, and lifeless, as he seemed, she would be primarily responsible for the health and well-being of the newborn, and simply rely on her husband to do menial, and simple tasks.

As she sat there, waiting to hear the status of her husband, and just how serious his condition was, emotions poured through her body far worse than any point in her pregnancy. It came in rushes of fear, worry, and panic. Without the ability to be there at her husband's side, and see just how bad he was, and without the ability to feel like she was doing her job as his wife to be there for him, really began to make Roeper reconsider her "blessing" to Jake's return to professional wrestling.

It was when Jake actually returned home, after being picked up by his father, that Roeper's emotions hit their breaking point...

As Jake walked in, neck still in a brace, Roeper's emotions began a roller coaster yet again. Her first thoughts were happiness to see her husband vertical, rather than horizontal on a gurney, and then it immediately turned from happiness and worry, to anger. Roeper began to feel angry toward her husband, and his decision to put his life in danger, and risk the future of their family. As her anger reached a boiling point, she bursted into tears, and fled to their bedroom.

At the advice of his mother, Jake gave Roeper time to calm down, while he finally got the OK from his parents to remove the neck brace, and begin to try and move around a little more freely.

After conversing with his mother a bit, and informing her that he does feel well enough to continue competing, he knows it's time to fully confront his wife, and talk to her regarding everything that happened. Before making his way to the bedroom, he gives his mother and father a hug, and promises them both he'll start to be more careful, and aware of who is around him when. His mother gives him a few words of wisdom, and then allows him to retreat to the bedroom, and try and console, calm, and explain himself to his wife.

As Jake reaches the precipice of the bedroom, he can hear his wife's tears flowing on the other side of the door. He knows the conversation probably won't go smoothly, nor will it be one that's easy to have, but he knows it needs to be done. He knows what his wife witnessed, and he's pretty sure he understands the emotions coming over her right now.

With one final deep breath, Jake slowly opens the door and enters his bedroom. Roeper sits with her back to the door, and her eyes straight ahead. A mirror on that side of the room allows Roeper to see the door begin to slowly open, and her husband walk in. Seeing her husband walk in forces her, too, to take a deep breath, anticipating the dreading, yet unavoidable, conversation.

Jake approaches the bed, and slowly sits down next to his wife, and his gaze looks ahead like his wife's. With one more deep breath, Jake breaks the deafening silence that has taken over the room.

Jake Starr: ... Listen, I...

Before he's able to get anything else out, Roeper jolts back toward him, and stares him down with tears still rolling down her cheeks.

Roeper Hart: No Jake... You listen... When you decided to return to this business, you promised me you'd be careful. You promised me you'd be cautious. You promised me that I wouldn't have to endure the total stress you put me through before...

Jake Starr: But that...

Roeper Hart: No... Shh... You don't talk right now, just listen... When you came to me and we talked about this, I said I was OK with it, on the grounds that you didn't put our family through any unnecessary stress. I knew watching you get beat up would bother me, but what happened to you, and how you are now, and how I felt, was unnecessary...

Jake bites his upper lip, as a show of insecurity and worry. He's afraid to try and say anything, but knows there is a lot there that needs to be explained.

Roeper Hart: ... And watching those animals ravage you like that, and have no concern over your life, your family, anyone, was too much for me to endure. Too much!

Roeper turns her head abruptly back to facing forward. Jake realizes this is his time to speak.

Jake Starr: First off... I'm sorry... I'm sorry for what you had to see. And yes, it was unnecessary for it to happen. But the fact of the matter is, I'm going to be OK. I'm going to be 100%, and I'm going to get even for this. What they did to me, and ultimately emotionally did to you, was something I'm not just going to let it pass, and forget about it. Yes, when I came back, I promised you no unnecessary stress, and I'm sorry this happened to make that a promise I couldn't keep. But you have to trust me when I say there are a lot of people who are going to do all they can to ensure this doesn't happen again...

Roeper sniffles, and continues to stare straight ahead.

Roeper Hart: ... And how can they stop it? How can they stop something like this from happening again?

Jake Starr: To begin with... We're all ready, and actually understand what we're up against. When this all started at Apocalypse, it was kind of a cluster f_ck on our part. We didn't think it was going to be some continued war like it has been, and nobody thought they'd single me out, like they have. But now, we know, and we're prepared to fight back. So you have to believe this won't happen again...

Roeper Hart: ... I want to... But...

Jake Starr: No buts... You have to believe... You have to believe this isn't something that's going to ruin our family by ruining me. I'm going to be here for you and our family no matter what. I promise you that if my well-being, and my ability to be the father to our child that I need to be, ever comes into question or concern, I'll be done... I'll leave...

Roeper slowly begins to turn to look her husband in the eye once again.

Jake Starr: ... I mean it...

Roeper begins to break down and sob again.

Roeper Hart: I just don't want to see you like this!

She falls forward, and Jake wraps his arms around his wife, understanding her worry and sadness.

Jake Starr: I know babe... I know... I don't want to see me like this either.

Roeper continues to cry onto her husband's shoulder.

Jake Starr: It's going to be OK babe... I promise...

Roeper sniffles.

Roeper Hart: I hope you're right!

Jake Starr: Me too... All we can do is trust that I'm going to have the support I need to make sure I'm right... That's all we can do...

Roeper slowly pulls back from her husband, and looks up at him, water still pooling in her eyes. Jake reaches up to wipe the tears from her face, and slowly begins to smile, hoping the relieved tension, or what he hopes is relieved tension, begins to calm his wife down.

Jake Starr: Listen babe... They may have hurt me, and bruised me, but I'm still me. I'm not changed, and they're not going to change me. I'm still your husband, and you're still carrying my child. We have a lot to look forward to, and this, nor anything else, will set us back from any of it.

Roeper cracks a slight smile.

Jake Starr: Like I said... If anything changes, I'm not going to hesitate to leave... You're more important...

Jake puts his hand over his wife's pregnant belly.

Jake Starr: WE'RE more important...

With those final words, Roeper gives Jake the first "real" hug she's given him since his encounter with Infamous. As she embraces him, she slightly tweaks his neck, forcing Jake to let out a slight yelp of pain. Roeper is stunned, and slightly cringes in apology for the error. Jake rubs his neck, but smiles at his wife saying that soon she'll be able to hug him like that without any worry. They embrace again, this time Roeper is much more gentle with her husband.

As Jake now moves forward, and prepares himself for his numerous encounters with varying degrees of opposition, he must take into account the fact he is banged up, and not at 100%. He also must figure out a way to continue to show his wife he's not making any mistakes returning to the ring, and potentially putting himself in the line of fire from Infamous again. Both of those tasks don't promise to be easy, but in his eyes, they're both more than doable.

Jake Starr: My life, and my world, has become something that has become something everyone is talking about. I've seen my name in headlines in newspapers, fans talking about me on forums, hell, I even saw my name starting to trend on Twitter...

... And the best part was, it wasn't because I was arguing with anyone either!

Anyway...

On the official SCW site, the past few big "news" updates have revolved around me, Thorn, Helms, and the recent issues we've had with Infamous, and hell, its even gone as deep as to talk about me being in the hospital, being released, recuperating, everything!

It's honestly been something quite befuddling to me overall.

Seriously!

Since I came to SCW, I've wanted a lot of that kind of attention. I've wanted people to clamor about what Jake Starr was doing, when he was doing it with, who he was spotted talking to, how big his... Ok never mind, I think I got my point across. But since arriving, I've talked about how I've been overlooked a lot. I've talked about how people would buzz about others, their lives, and wondered why it wasn't me. I wondered what it was about me that didn't attract the "in-the-know" news bloggers to talk about me. Hell, I got offended I wasn't "in the news."

Now, I'm there. Now, I'm all over the place. Now, I'm the "it" thing to talk about, and the funny thing is, I can't figure out why this is the big thing to talk about all of a sudden. When I downed Exeter, and became the new SCW World Champion, there was very little buzz. A couple of people clamored and chit-chatted, but overall, it was relatively dead. It was like it wasn't that big of a deal.

Yet... This is...

Jake rubs his neck, still definitely feeling the effects of the beating he suffered at the hands of Infamous.

Jake Starr: So, while I've been trying to nurse these wounds, I've been contemplating the reasoning behind the attention now, and the lack of attention then. I've really wanted to figure out what about me and my friends, now, make us so "interesting."

It didn't make sense then, and doesn't now.

The thing is, overall, I don't know if this attention is attention I looked forward to receiving, or attention I am not necessarily fond of. The reason being, it wasn't because of success, it was because of a group who, I feel, are trying to use me, Thorn, and Dave, to try and further their careers. I am one of those people who, if someone is capable of gaining success by defeating me, they're entitled to the coverage, and the glory. But by doing what they've done to me, they don't deserve to be getting the recognition they've gotten.

And that's the only LOGICAL thing I've been able to come up with, as far as why it hasn't sat right with me. It's the only thing I've been able to come up with, that makes an ounce of sense.

So it's yet another thing these miscreants have taken from me. It began with my ability to celebrate my victory over Lucas, and attaining of the SCW Underground Championship, taken from me, to then being screwed out of a victory due to CHEATING, and then came Breakdown. So they took my desire to be the "most discussed" superstar in SCW, and made it something I can't take pride in.

Jake gently shakes his head from side to side. He knows he must control his emotion, due to the pain it could cause him if he were to let it out before he has healed.

Jake Starr: But, instead of completely rendering the situation one that angers me, I realize that it still can be something I utilize for the better. I realize that the situation, as a whole, does have the proverbial "silver lining." See, it's pushed me to push myself further. When I was in the hospital, doctors, family, hell even my fraternal brothers, were begging and pleading with me not to wrestle. They said I was INSANE to even fathom walking into Ammo or Breakdown with the aspirations of competing, and subsequently going into Under Attack with the goal of becoming Tag Team Champion. They went out of their way to tell me I shouldn't even try competing. Hell, my wife, the first time I spoke with her after the attack, said if I even had the inkling of competing before Under Attack, she'd give me a beating far worse than Christy and Lucas...

... But here I am...

The news reports were clear, and direct. I insisted on competing. I made it CLEAR that I wasn't going to let Christy Matthews and Lucas Knight have the joy in knowing they removed me from competition...

... But that wasn't the only reason I insisted on competing at all three events. No, see, there is another reason I insisted on going through with all of my matches. There is a very solid reason I'm competing, and it's the one that really explains who I am...

I'M A F_CKING CHAMPION!

Yes... A lot of people have forgotten that very fact. A lot of people, amongst the turmoil of my friends, my brothers, and Infamous, have neglected to remember that I survived a hellacious battle with Lucas Knight and emerged the NEW SCW Underground Champion.

So why would I, a CHAMPION in the ranks of Supreme Championship Wrestling, and even more notably, the OFFICIAL #1 Contender for the SCW World Championship, NOT step up, and fight when I'm supposed to? Why would I NOT man-up, and fight through the pain and agony?

That's right... I wouldn't NOT man-up...

When I was the SCW World and Adrenaline Champion, I had battles that mimicked what is happening now. I had the Infection on my ass, beating me down when they could get the numbers advantage, but in the end, I didn't let it deter me. I didn't let "Big Daddy D" scare me into succumbing to his attacks, and I damn sure won't give that group that courtesy...

I'm here to prove why I am a champion, and why I am the best of the best. I'm not going to let anyone ruin me. I'm not going to be torn down by a group who simply hope they get some special treatment because they're... I don't know... Different?

Jake shrugs, confused as to why Infamous assumes they have some special reason to be perceived as "greater" than other groups who have previously tried to run Jake out of the business.

Jake Starr: But thankfully, there is the beginning of the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel" for this whole situation. I face Gable Winchester at Ammo, a very formidable opponent. It's a match I've spoken about, and in fact expressed excitement for. But I speak of the excitement with the caveat knowing I'll probably be attacked, and I'll probably come out worse for the wear...

... How else do they plan, as a whole, to have ANY chance of winning at Under Attack?

Then, after Ammo comes a special day for me. After Ammo comes a day I haven't gotten to taste since Tactical Warfare. After Ammo comes Breakdown, and my first defense of my SCW Underground Championship!

See, it's been almost SIX MONTHS since I walked into an SCW event with a championship around my waist. It's been almost SIX MONTHS since I got the opportunity to walk into an SCW event, and defend MY championship. It's been almost SIX MONTHS since I was the hunted...

... And EVERYONE knows how dangerous Jake Starr is when he's hunted.

So who is it that walks into Breakdown with the FIRST EVER opportunity for someone to take the Underground Championship from around my waist? Who is the lucky candidate? It's none other than a former Underground Champion in his own right. It's none other than a man who is, in his own right, one of the most long-lasting members of the SCW roster, dating back to 2005. His name, Chris Lawler.

Jake begins to show the first signs of his infamous cockiness, and smirks.

Jake Starr: Ahh... Chris Lawler, a man whose name I threw around relatively early in my SCW career. He's a man who, early in my SCW career, I didn't really think too highly of. It's amazing how backstage antics can really put that initially tart flavor into your mouth, and it stick for so long. But now, that has long-since passed. I've learned that he was one of those guys who wasn't real keen on the newcomers coming into a place he had been a force in for some time, and running rough shod over everyone. He thought very little of me, and I of him, but we've both moved forward, and left that in the past where it belongs.

Today is a whole new ballgame. It's the first encounter of Jake Starr, and another established member of the SCW "old guard," and yet again, it involves a championship, or some form of "achievement" at the end. So I don't look at how I perceived him in the past, and I can't allow anything from my past to truly take any kind of precedence in this match. I have to look at this match for what it is, and who he is. He's a challenger, and I am a champion...

... It's two facts that are, in and of themselves, that simple. I'm walking into Breakdown with a simple goal. I'm walking in to defend my SCW Underground Championship, and send myself barreling toward Under Attack with my eyes then set on taking yet another piece of gold from the waists of those idiots who put me in the predicament I'm in now.

But like I said, first comes Lawler...

On paper, Lawler is a formidable opponent. He's a man who has tasted the sweet taste of victory in the Underground Division, and as I said, reigned supreme above it. But that was two years ago. That was a time when the Underground Division wasn't like it is now. It wasn't at the level it is now. Sure, names like Matt Hodges, Donovan Kayl, and Justin Davis were considered the "elite" of the Underground. Sure, Chris Lawler cemented himself as a man who could pull off the stunning victory at Rise to Greatness. But two years later, the world of the Underground has changed...

When Lucas Knight made the open challenge, and stupidly accepted my subsequent challenge, the Underground Division went from a division filled with people simply trying to one-up one another with "shocking" and "daring" moves, utilizing varying degrees of "extreme" elements to put themselves over someone else, to a division where it takes much more to succeed. It isn't just the "extreme" element that wins anymore, it takes that element of intelligence, stamina, and intestinal fortitude to say you can go toe to toe with Jake Starr. Nobody just waltzes into a ring with me, and beats me down, and wins. No matter what these beat downs that Infamous has put on me may tell you, that isn't the case.

So when the music plays, the house lights dim, the spotlights hit the ring, and when the battle begins, it's a ball game I come ready to play. I come ready to fight. I come ready to show I can handle what has been put in front of me. I come with the knowledge that I'm capable of overcoming adversity, and showing that nothing can keep me down...

... I come with the knowledge that NOBODY is going to keep me from ultimate victory...

Fin

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