Title: ...with Broken Wings

Author: TheVampireLucinda

Featuring: Shawn Michaels, Vince McMahon, Diesel

Disclaimer: Slash-ish.

Summary: Takes place during In Your House: Good Friends Better Enemies on April 28, 1996. Big Daddy Cool Diesel is facing his former best friend the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. And if that wasn't enough emotional pain to go around, someone on the sidelines is hurting just as much for the golden haired man in the ring. Kayfabed.

"No, no! No! Not on the floor-!"

It was like time had slowed right in front of him, as Big Daddy Cool lifted Shawn Michaels high for the Jack Knife. He was screaming, even though he knew that his words would go unheeded, even though he knew that he was supposed to be unbiased.

"No!"

Shawn's body went crashing through their announce table, monitors and headphones and black cloth falling all over his limp, bruised body.

Vince was silent for what seemed like an eternity.

As gently as he could, he lifted the heavy monitors off of Shawn, stopping only to shoot a venomous glare at Diesel, who winked at him and smiled.

"I told you I had a present for you, didn't I?"

Vince McMahon was livid, but held in his rage. He knew he couldn't do a thing to stop Diesel—the man was simply too big, too strong. Too vicious. And even though Shawn Michaels had the heart of a lion, he simply wasn't, in Vince's view, strong enough to fight against someone who was so physically and mentally overwhelming.

'Dammit, Shawn,' he thought sadly, placing his hand lightly over Shawn's forehead, who looked to all the world as if he had just fallen from Heaven. 'I knew you'd get hurt...'

As if hearing the words in Vince's mind, Shawn began to stir, blue eyes slowly opening.

To no one's surprise, they were filled with as much determination as they were pain, and without a word, Shawn began to carefully rise to his feet again, never looking away from the target of his ire.

Vince knew that look well, and he knew that Shawn wasn't going to stop until he had beaten the much bigger man down—or died trying.

"Shawn, stop!" he cried out, grabbing the younger man's arm. "Shawn, just let it go! Let it be over!"

He knew that the Heartbreak Kid would never stop. He knew that Shawn would never quit. He knew that as long as Michaels was breathing, he was fighting.

But that didn't stop his heart from stopping every time Shawn took a huge bump, every time it seemed as though he was going to receive that final injury that would put an end to...everything.

Shawn was tough, Shawn was strong, and Shawn didn't give a damn about what anyone thought about him...But that didn't stop Vince McMahon from absolutely loving him.

Of course, he denied it at first. Those closest too him were the first to realize that Vince was treating the Heartbreak Kid completely differently from every other wrestler, from every other person he'd ever dealt with in his life. He couldn't explain it, but in the end, he had to own up to it.

He loved Shawn Michaels. Shawn was this beautiful, tormented soul in Vince's eyes, and that touched his heart in ways that he'd never imagined possible.

And even now, as Shawn rose to his feet, as he pushed Vince away with more strength than anyone would have guessed he had left, Vince knew deep down that this was a big part of why, exactly, he loved Shawn Michaels...even if he knew that one day his indomitable spirit would be the death of them both.

"Shawn..."

The younger man couldn't hear him at all. He was already climbing into the ring, already throwing his fists at Big Daddy Cool Diesel.

No, Vince thought to himself. It was more than his resilience that made him love the Heartbreak Kid. It was more than his fitness, his skill, his undeniable good looks.

He loved Shawn most of all because he was Shawn.

McMahon knew that he'd never be the "One" for Shawn; that simply wasn't in the cards for them. But he vowed to cheer forever from backstage, from the sidelines, for his dear, broken angel. He knew that he'd always be there for Shawn, would always look out for him, would always be proud of him, would always love him.

From his place at the ruined announcer table, Vince couldn't help but smile a little. Jerry Lawler, who was always on announcing with Vince, caught a glimpse the grin and shook his head in disdain.

"You really do love Shawn Michaels, don't you?" he asked for what had to be the 50th time in 5 months. Unable to force himself to stop smiling, Vince merely kept his eyes on the match, never answering—as usual—and cheering loudly as the Heartbreak Kid took the advantage.

"That's it...Get 'im, Shawn! Get 'im!"

After all, even angels with broken wings could fly.

Fin.

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