“Stars shining bright above you…
Night breezes seem to whisper,
“I love you”
Birds singin’ in the sycamore tree…”…dream a little dream…of me…
(It’s 10:30 at night. When the Wild Irish Rose calls bedtime, we go to bed! That’s just that! Except that doesn’t really work when your world is hijacked by shit-covered little terrorists that you want to return but oh dear God you’d die if you didn’t hear their little lungs breathing…)
“...while I’m alone and blue as can be…”(Emma Russow suddenly appears in the nursery doorway as Alanah Russow breathes an almost tear-filled sigh of relief as Emma gently walks over and takes baby Elise from her as Alanah strains to get up, wiping her eyes as she walks over and kisses Jack before heading into the bathroom to take a long awaited bath. Emma swaddles little Elise who coos at her playfully as Jack struggles with a squirming Patrick.)
Emma Russow: Just let him on the floor son, he’ll be fine! He just wants his toys.
(Jack gently sets Paddy down who quickly changes his death grip from Jack’s hair to a nearby rattle that WAS being guarded by Pip but oh dear God did that poor little Papillion have another thing comin’. It was an adjustment for everyone and like Pip…not everyone was thriving.)
Emma Russow: …penny for your thoughts, Jack?
Jack Russow: We’re barely holding it together…we weren’t ready.
Emma Russow: Honey, no on-
Jack Russow: I know, I know…”no one ever is”...that’s great and all but…we are SO TIRED. And I…
Emma Russow: This is what you wanted. THIS is what you signed up for!
Jack Russow: Wait…do you think I’m complaining because I HAVE this life?
Emma Russow: Sure what it sounds like, bud.
Jack Russow: No no no! This…this isn’t what I wanted…
(Alanah hears this from the cracked door of the bathroom and seems a little down…until.)
Jack Russow: …this is far better than I ever could have dreamed of.
(You can see Alanah’s heart visibly swell as she almost trips out of the bathroom but saves it at the last moment…as Jack and Emma look from the door to each other…)
Jack Russow: These beautiful little monsters…they’re so full of…ALL THREE of you moms. You’re all feisty and…and moody…and…and you’re wonderful. I’d be lost without you.
Emma Russow: Don’t you go making me cry, dickhead. I just put on mascara!
Jack Russow; At 10:30 at night!?
Emma Russow: I was making an appearance!
Jack Russow: Thank you God that I have a therapist appointment tomorrow.
Emma Russow: Oh I’m sorry honey, we had to cancel yours…we had an emergency.
Jack Russow: What!? What emergency!?
Emma Russow: …it’s Slappy, hon.
Jack Russow: …you give him every therapy appointment I have.
Emma Russow: Are you sure? You still haven’t quite worked through all the fucked up shit your dad put you through alone!
Jack Russow: Oh I think I have the perfect outlet for that. It’s just…
Emma Russow: What’s wrong, baby?
Jack Russow: …if we’re struggling this much right now…am I making the right decision to go back?
Emma Russow: Well that’s…what I came to talk to you about.
Jack Russow: Uhhh…uhnkay? Everything cool?
Emma Russow: We talked it over and…we’re gonna get you a nanny.
Jack Russow: No.
Emma Russow: Hear me out…she’d travel. We’d cover it.
Jack Russow: …thank God for dad’s super Rain Man ability to play the stock market, he said weakly and sarcastically.
Emma Russow: Thank you for the narration, Trust Fund!
(They both laugh as Emma gets up and gently places the now sleeping Elise in her cradle.)
Emma Russow: …she’s got Elise’s fire in her…
Jack Russow: …and yours.
Emma Russow: Jack…these kids…they’re-
Jack Russow: Going to have the greatest, beautifullest, most bestest, gracefulest Grandmother EVER!
(Emma smiles as she gets up kissing Jack on the forehead before pointing down to reveal that Paddy has fallen asleep cuddling a frightened looking Pip as Jack pries him off gently and sets him in HIS cradle.)
Emma Russow: …for the record, you’re doing the right thing.
Jack Russow: I am?
Emma Russow: …this is in your blood, Jack. This is why you’ve been missing lately, it’s why you’ve been off. You NEED professional wrestling Jack, just as much as it needs you!
Alanah *From The Bathroom*: AMEN!!!!
Emma Russow: But you’re gonna have to get your ass to work, young man. You’ve got Tyson Sykes…this Riot.
(With that, Emma taps him on the chest as she leaves…Jack turns and looks at his cooing children.)
“...dream a little dream…of…me.”-No Requiem-
“Cause when the villains fall…
the kingdoms never weep.
No one lights a candle to remember.
No, no one mourns at all
When they lay them down to sleep…”So I will sing no requiem tonight…
TYSOOOOOOOOOON SYKES!!!“A modern day warrior…mean, mean stride…”(A door bursts open illuminating a dusty old theater as Jack Russow, dressed to the “what the ever-loving is THAT” nines. He has a walking cane he throws from his left hand to his right as he screams…)
“LIIIIIIIGHTS!!!”(Next thing we know, Jack is bolting down the aisle and with one fluid motion he LEAPS up onto the stage…gracefully tapping his way to the middle of it as a top hat comes flying in from stage left which he catches and fashionably flips on his arm up to his head as he stomps the cane twice and the lights kick out to a single spotlight on him as he tilts the hat, kicks the cane to cross his legs and twirls the cane over his shoulders back to another stomp.)
Jack Russow: Ladies and Gents, this is the moment you’ve waited fo-
“OHHHHHH NO…NO NO NO…”(Suddenly the lights kick up in the dusty old arena and we see Alanah O’Connell dressed…almost strangely like Sabrina Spellman. With her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.)
Alanah O'Connell-Russow: If you’re gonna do this babe…
*Click*
(Tron switches on as everyone in the arena is freaking out wondering what the fuck is going on as Alanah O’Connell-Russow walks into scene and winks at everybody to a RAUCOUS ovation.)
Alanah O’Connell-Russow: You’re gonna do it IN STYLE!
(She snaps her fingers and as soon as she does pyro blasts the lights are back on and Jack Russow is standing…square in the middle of the ring!!!)
JR Freeman: BY GOD THEY’RE SHAKING THE RAFTERS!!!
Alfonso Banks: SHOULDN’T YOU HAVE A BEDTIME, YOU’RE A FATHER NOW! MORE DISRESPECTFUL LOONEY LEFT RUSSOW PROPAGANDA!!!
JR Freeman: …It is truly an honor to watch your mind at work sometimes, Alf.
Alfonso Banks: I know…the inner machinations of my mind are an enigma…
JR Freeman: Be that as it may, JACK RUSSOW’S BACK! THE PRODIGAL SON HAS RETURNED!!!
Alfonso Banks: SIT DOWN JR!!!
JR Freeman: GOBBLE ME, BANKS!!!
Alfonso Banks: …WHAT!?
Fans: GO! GO! JACK RU-SSOW! GO! GO! JACK RU-SSOW!
Jack Russow: Look at you…you beautiful bastards, how the Hell are ya!?
(The crowd pops to the rafters to see the return of the young, bloodthirsty legacy.)
Jack Russow: See no one…does THIS for you anymore. No one comes out to address YOU PEOPLE anymore and honestly…that’s what we’re supposed to be here for, as my “mate” Mack McKane says, “innit”?
Fans: WE LOVE WRESTLING!
Jack Russow: AND YOU SHOULD *NOT* BE PUNISHED *FOR* IT!!! Professional Wrestling is your escape at the end of a shit week with a shit boss for shit pay. You tune in because WE…tell our bosses to go FUCK themselves when they go too far. We ARE…your wet DREAM. And I’m not immune to that! It’s not like I don’t see that and it’s not like I don’t understand…that I was born different. See this? THIS is all I’ve ever really known. The bloodthirsty crowds, the adrenaline pumping in my veins, the tunnel vision of 2 hours of sleep but the fourth wind of the Seventh Sea. See I owe all of you…an apology.
(Jack wipes his mouth and suddenly looks very stern as the fans start chanting “NO YOU DON’T!”)
Jack Russow: No I do, I do…Alanah told me she was pregnant and instantly I shut you all out. My family became my number one priority and I won’t stand here…and pretend or lie to you…that they’re still not. But Alanah and my mother Emma,-
(Cheap pop for Emma.)
Jack Russow: She loves you too. But they showed me that I couldn’t just hide myself away from the world and keep my kids locked behind castle walls where nothing will ever harm them. They’re gonna make mistakes…they’re gonna get hurt…they’re gonna learn lessons.
…and so am I.
(Jack leaned against the ropes and tousled his brown undercut.)i
Jack Russow: Just a kid myself…what the fuck do I know, right?
(The fans get quiet as Jack clicks his teeth…)
Jack Russow: I know how to hurt people too, Tyson…
(The fans pop a little for this as Jack suddenly clicks back into focus.)
Jack Russow: Walking, putrid trash bag little junkies like YOU, Tyson Sykes. You wanna run around here with your little hat turned backwards, little bandage on your ass from where your bear of a partner spooning a hairy man named Dirk injrects you repeatedly with steroids I want you to listen and listen VERY carefully…you have not…and you continue to not impress. Probably doesn’t help your case that you’re a cop…and as a Russow I’m hardwired to hate you for it. Could it be because the only cops I’ve ever met have all been bullies and checking your resume? You been a dick for faaaaar too long. What was it? Got kicked out of school? Got slid through on a technicality cause you were a big sports star? Got into the real world and realize you weren’t good at anything but bullying people and so you go and let them give you a gun and a piece of tin…then they drop your ass in a neighborhood your afraid of and you start blasting. FUCK you, Tyson Sykes. FUCK you in your bald, Rogaine-rejectin’ ass.
JR Freeman: Well I don’t know about all that…there are certainly good cops out there.
Alfonso Banks: Not if you’re the wrong color.
Jack Russow: See I’m fuckin’ sick and tired of meathead slobs like you coming into my SPORT and thinking that just because you don’t have the mental capacity to know when to NOT snap someone’s arm that you’re gonna be on top in no time. Why don’t you try your little MMA bullshit with ME…if you can fuckin’ catch me. Your cardio has to be like, nil. What are you, like a size Extra Extra Bitch?
(Jack laughs as the fans start chanting “XXB!” at the top of their lungs. He brings them down and gets serious again.)
Jack Russow: That was the last joke I’m gonna tell on your bitch ass, Sykes. Because this isn’t a GAME to me anymore. My kids…my wife…my family…they’re counting on me and I’m not gonna let a skidmark like YOU stand in my fuckin’ way. Go eat your Cool Ranch Doritos and jerk it to Gracie vs Shamrock 1 you juiced up Jughead. Because IF you step in that ring with me?
…I will take…you…out.
(Jack tosses the microphone and celebrates with the fans as “All I Want” by A Day To Remember blares over the PA and we fade to black with him blowing kisses.)