Hey jude

Panning down through the halls of St. Jude's, and coming to a halt as Cory Chevelle stands in one of the lobbies. Haley and Frank are both with him. Haley is giving him the do's and don'ts and instructing her father how to behave today more or less. While Frank can't hide the ear to ear smile and laughs he can't seem to muffle.

She did it again. You could read him like a book from the look on his face. Yes, some special boy or girl made a wish, and that wish was to meet and hang out with Cory Chevelle. "It makes no sense" her father kept mumbling on the drive over. Haley waited until they were in Chicago to drop this appearance on him. Frank couldn't help but tease him along the way. Frank was joining them for Parade of Champions. But for Frank, this pitstop was too good to miss. Chevelle was lost, and couldn't help but think about how someone like Jackson Burnside would have been a better pick for something like this.

"Are you even listening Dad?"

"Yeah. You said don't be an over-baring dick like five times 'cuz it's a cancer kid. I got that part Haley. I just..don't..know..what the hell I'm doing here. Kids usually hate me, they're terrified.."

"Because you're kinda scary Daddy."

"So what made him or her or whatever correct pronoun this kid goes by choose me for their wish?"

"A very sick and confused one! HA!"

"Frank... death walks these halls quite frequently. I'm sure if you take a stroll in any direction you'll meet."

"I looked death straight in the eyes during the war, son. Death ran away and not fast enough!"

"Okay enough! Both of you! Dad, just try to be friendly to the kid. And his name is Brady."

"Like Tom Brady... your dad hates Tom Brady."

"No Frank like the Brady bunch, and I loved me some Marsha! Shut up already."

"You two! He's a ten year old boy and despite how sick he is, you're his hero. Deal with it and let's get moving Dad. I think they're waving us to come on in. Just remember, we're recording this for the docu-series as per your agreement with the company."

Haley smiled at the receptionist and began moving towards a set of doors leading into another corridor. Cory shook his head and followed with Frank at the rear of them still snickering and laughing. The receptionist led them to the boy's room and she began the surprise welcoming.

"Brady.. there's someone here to see you. I think you're gonna be really happy because-"

Without missing another best, Chevelle kicked in the door and came walking in cowboy hat and all. Brady's pale face suddenly lit up with a smile that even Chevy couldn't resist to smile back. Haley came in after, slightly embarrassed and flustered by her dad's brute entrance. Frank followed and sat down in a seat over the window.

"HEY BRADY, WELCOME T-"

"SILVERBACK COUNTRYYYY"

Brady was excited beyond belief. The kid nearly hopped up from his bed and life seemed to jump back into him from the state he was in before Chevy walked came kicking through the door.

"How do you do young man? I'm Cory Chevelle. Heard you had good taste so I thought we'd come by and meet ya."

"I didn't think they'd actually get you here Chevy! You're my favorite wrestler, oh my god, wait til mom and dad get back in here! My dad says you suck donkey dick and you're easily overrated. He says all you do is flew and throw people around as stiff as possible. He also said Jackson Burnside really beat you up in a backstage fight after a show, is that true!?"

Chevy's now in uncharted waters and bombarded by the line of questioning. He takes a breath, shakes his head as he removes his cowboy hat and places it on the boys bald little head.

"Jackson Burnside is a tough sonuvabitch but he'd never... ya know, I can't wait to meet your dad Brady. This is gonna be fun, right Haley!? Hey kid, you keep that hat. You need it more than I do anyways..."

"Thanks Chevy!"

"Here hold on..."

It's kinda hard to sign a black hat, so Chevy peels his 'hello my name isn't sticker off and slaps it on the hat with his name on it. The kid is lighting up like a Christmas tree and for a second, it almost pulls at Chevy's heart strings. He takes a seat beside Brady's bed, unsure where to go from here.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for making him come Haley!"

"Brady, who's..."

The boys parents are now back and entering the room, both noticing Frank at first then realized the mountain of a man sitting next to their son. Chevelle stands up, gently shaking the mother's hand and then turns sight to the father; Whom only gets a hell of a staredown and a low growl like noise until Haley slaps her dad in the back. Chevelle and the father shake hands but it's an uncomfortable moment for everyone else in the room.

"Mom, Dad, look! He came! Cory freaking Chevelle came to spend the day with me!"

"THE DAY!?"

Chevelle said surprised and looking over at Haley who was slipping out as she put her phone up to her hair, making it seem like an important work related call. But it was only a goat.

"Yeah, you're suppose to hang out with me for the day. Mom can we go to the game room?"

"Are you feeling well enough for that sweetie?"

Chevy raised his brows and shot a look over to Frank, but the old man just snickered and giggled to himself. Then,like a light bulb going off Chevy redirected.

"Hey, Bradley"

"Brady."

Brady's mom chimed in.

"Apologies ma'am. How about a picture?"

"OoooOOh now there's a good idea! You two squeeze in together and I'll take the photo."

Chevy moved in closer, gently placing his massive left arm over behind Brady. He acted as if he was scared to come into contact with the boy. Perhaps due to his fragile state and Chevy thought he might break the kid like a cheap children's toy. Brady's mother took several photos. She was nearly in tears at the sightof her son's smile. She mentioned under her breath how she couldnt remember the last time he smiled like this. Meanwhile, Brady's father, Rob, was sitting over across from Frank trying to stir conversation. He would quickly learn the mistake he made in doing so; Frank being Frank...

"Hi, I'm Rob. Rob Nickel, pleased to meet you sir. You're Frank O'Leary right? You um, you been with him since he was in highschool..."

"Listen shitbird, I ain't part of the family gathering or whatever you wanna call this. I just wanted to see Cory's face and how it played out. To be honest I'm surprised he came in through that door with as much enthusiasm as he did."

"What do you mean? Did he not want to come?"

"Of course he didn't wanna come! We have work to do dammit! We never stop to kiss babies or hold the sick kid's hand. No one wants to be around a bunch of sick kids who are fighting for their lives because not only is it heartbreaking but dammit; WE GOT WORK TO DO! He's got a title match not even three days away. Let me tell you son, that's your boy and you look out for him every day right? Right. Well that man there... That's my boy."

"Well I apologize, but it's not like he couldnt of turned it down then we wouldn't have been dragging you all away from your preparation for a pretend fight."

Frank reaches forward and slaps Brady's dad right across the mouth. Zero hesitation, zero remorse and no apology to follow. Suddenly the old man's cold grey eyes squint as his brow furrows into a scowl. Shaking his finger at the appalled parent Frank tells him..

"Was there anything pretend about what I just did? No. So listen close Bob-"

"It's Ro-"

The old man's hand is a blur once more as he delivers another slap to silence the dad.

"No one cares. I killed 29 zipper-heads in Vietnam you understand? Interrupt me again, you greazzzy lil butt nugget and I'll pull your tongue out and you can watch me eat it. Don't you ever insult us nor the sport like that again. You're lucky he didn't hear ya."

Frank leaned back in his chair, calming down and appearing to be back in a relaxed state while Bradys dad, he didn't know where to turn to or go. He thought about calling the cops but he didn't want to ruin his son's wish day. So he swallowed his pride and then turned back towards Brady and Chevelle who were both visiting with each other, not even paying attention to those two.

"Alright kid, I gotta ask... why me? Why not someone like Daron Smythe, or Jackson Burnside or anybody that most people cheer for.."

"Because you're my favorite. Those two get great pops when they come out, big deal! So what if they've been the world Heavyweight champ, so what if one of them has two titles. Do any of them have an Olympic gold medal? Did either of them ever face Caleb Hart in an Ironman match and push him past his limit? Or what about the wars you had with Angelo Valor, Autumn Raven, or E2K!"

"E2K? Oh you mean Faulk? Man..there's a name I haven't heard in ages."

"Your first world title reign back in 2003, a last man standing match that went on for an hour! I told you I know everything about you! I cheer for you dude because all those other guys are a bunch of pus[DJ SCRATCH]ies!"

"Brady Lee!"

"Sorry mom.. look Chev, I've been sick most of my life. Weak, puny, and everyone treats me like I'm made of glass. I guess I look up to you because you're not all those things. I wanna be like you when I grow up.."

"...Well, uh, thanks I guess kid. But are you sure you're gonna be around that long?"

Brady starts laughing hysterically.

"See! That's why you're it! You say whatever you want, do as you please and no one can change you or stop you. I wish I knew what that felt like. People push me wherever they want me to go in that chair or and it's doctor after doctor. I don't get a say-"

"You're a kid and it's in your best interest kid. Those people pushing you around all day are part of why you're still here. Our survival is the most important thing at the end of the day, for all of us. Even me."

"See Chevy, we do have something in common."

Cory almost smiles and for a second wasn't so sure his heart wasn't growing ten times it's size after hearing that. Then Chevy proceeds to ruin it.

"You know what else we have in common?"

"We both have get our roids through a needle?"

Chevelle burst out laughing and wagging his finger at Brady.

"No but that was good kid! I was gonna say we both had our own cool set of wheels.."

"But mine was way better, you gotta admit! Welcome to Brady country bitches!"

"Don't ever say that again. Seriously, you gotta come up with your own lines or you'll never make it. Not that you're going to from the looks of ya."

Brady smiled and laughed

"Oh please Chevy, I've been doin this sh[DJ SCRATCH] since I was five. My leukemia hasn't even got a two count on me!"

"Well you just keep kicking out you lil bastard."

"Hey Chevy.. good luck in your match against them. Are you scared?"

Chevy straightens his posture and shakes his head no.

"No boy. Not one bit. Know why? Because I've already exploited their weaknesses. Did you see the last episode of Eruption? Our champion hesitated to come save his partner. He could have intervened, instead he took his time until after the damage was done to JB. As for 'The Weatherman' he learned his sunny forecast wasn't so accurate. He's not nearly as unstoppable or untouchable as he boasted about before and that can be devastating to a person's psychy. Break them from the inside out while breaking them from the outside in. I also now know to keep eyes in the back of my head because Braddock is a crazy sumbitch and that sumbitch has figured out you gotta do what you gotta do and he's an opportunist."

"Think you and him will team up again?"

"No. At least not in this match. When there's gold involved and on the line, you can't trust anyone. If someone can ding you in the head without the ref noticing it they will, and they do. Gotta have eyes in the back of your head and be on point. Now with what I learned about each of them last week, plus some other things I learned from that match I have an edge over them. It's very important to have an edge, know why? Without an edge, you can't cut the heart out of your prey."

"Okay I think that's enough. You guys wanna go to the game room? It's ready."

"Will you come Chevy?"

"Sure kid."

The angle pans back as everyone gets up and around, leaving Brady's room and heading down the hall together with Chevy pushing Brady in his wheelchair.

Fade to Black