Title: Earth's Angels
Author: TheVampireLucinda
Featuring: Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker
Disclaimer: Instead of a slash warning (yup, a non-slash fic for once!), this one has only a statement: This story in no way reflects anything I know about the Undertaker, or his life. This is just something that my 'TakerMuse wanted me to do. This is purely from my mind...That being said, this is appropriate for all ages who have ever broken up with someone.
Summary: Shawn Michaels is sitting at home with his family when an unexpected knock at the door draws him away from their fun and games, and into the very secretive life of the Undertaker. Takes place right before the 2011 Wrestlemania. A one-shot.
"Ha! I win!" Shawn Michaels' young son cheered as he slapped his last four cards down on the table. To his left, Rebecca laughed, and, to his right, his younger sister and father pouted, tossing their cards down with disgusted.
"Another game of Go Fish lost," the former Heartbreak Kid sighed, beginning to gather up the cards for another round. He had no idea on this Earth how his kids had gotten so darn smart, but it seemed to be more and more the case that he couldn't win a single game against them.
Not even Go Fish! He had beaten hundreds, if not thousands of others over the course of his lifetime! And now he found it hard to defeat two pre-teens!
"Alright, new game," Shawn announced suddenly, shuffling the cards with a mischievous look on his face. Rebecca, well used to that look, and the trouble that often followed, raised an eyebrow.
"This new game is called 'War,'" he explained, still shuffling. "We'll all take turns putting down cards; however, when Daddy's turn comes, he takes the highest numbered card. Then, in the remaining cards, the one with the highest number wins!"
The two young children gave their father a blank look, and a moment of silence followed before Rebecca shook her head.
"Except, that's not at all how the game is played," she smiled, giving her husband a sidelong glance. "Kids, I think your Dad is trying to cheat..."
Shawn's blue eyes widened as his kids looked to their mother, then at one another, and finally at him. He didn't like that look on their faces...In fact, he was pretty sure that things were going to end poorly for him tonight.
"Dad, no cheating!" his daughter giggled, charging out of her chair and into him hard, tickling him furiously. Shawn tried to evade her, but his son was there in a heartbeat, on his other side, and Rebecca was quick to assist and hold him down while the kids went to work.
"Nooooo!" Shawn gasped, unable to breathe between laughs. Somewhere along the line, his family had decided that his punishment for cheating would be a severe tickling...which, in his opinion, was totally unfair!
Luckily for Shawn, he was put out of his misery when the doorbell chimed. The four of them looked at the clock—it was well past 10pm. Who could be coming by at this late hour?
"I'll get it," Shawn volunteered, standing up and dusting himself off, attempting to preserve what little dignity he had left after his kids' assault.
Rebecca looked over at the clock as well. "It's bedtime, Little Ones," she announced, ushering the kids up the stairs, but not before giving her beloved husband a smile and a nod. She understood that, oftentimes, these late-night meetings were somehow always connected with someone from the WWE, and she felt no qualms about the fact that, sometimes, a younger guy would come talk to Shawn, looking for guidance.
'Or, Hunter comes by looking for a place to crash, and the whole house becomes an insane slumber party,' she thought with a chuckle, kissing her beautiful children goodnight once they were tucked into their beds.
As it turns out, her first intuition was correct. Mostly correct.
When Shawn opened the door, he was more than a little surprised to find the Undertaker standing there, that almost-constant world-weary look in his emerald green eyes.
"Hey, 'Taker," Shawn said carefully, expression surely betraying his confusion. "Is something wrong? Do you want to come inside?"
The man known as the Undertaker shook his head, dark hair barely moving. "No, but thank you. I'd rather talk out here, if you've got a minute..." Shawn's quick nod encouraged him to continue. "I, uh, I have a favor to ask of you..."
Again nodding, Shawn stepped outside onto his porch to join the man in black. It was a cool, Texas night, so the temperature was quite comfortable. However, the Heartbreak Kid quickly noticed that 'Taker seemed to be cold, at least, judging by the tenseness of his muscles.
"Mark, what's up?" Shawn asked honestly, leaning against the frame of his door. "I haven't seen you this upset since..." There was no need to finish the statement.
The Undertaker gave a short nod, frown deepening.
"It's related to that."
Though his voice was lower than a whisper, the words reached Shawn loud and clear. He straightened his posture and took a step closer to the larger man, taking a long, hard look into his eyes.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, blue eyes narrowing.
Despite himself, 'Taker found himself smiling a slightly. He had seen how protective Shawn could get of those he cared about and considered to be friends to him. A part of him was mildly pleased at being included in that number, though he had no idea on this Earth how it happened.
"Everything's fine," he answered, motioning for Shawn to relax.
"Your new wife isn't giving you any trouble, is she?"
Now 'Taker's eyes narrowed. "What are you trying to say, Michaels?" he rumbled ominously, like the beginnings of a thunderstorm. Shawn, though, as usual, was not at all intimidated.
"I'm sayin' that things can be rough when you first start out—you and I both know that very well." HBK folded his arms across his chest, and the larger man looked away. "And, in all honesty, you wouldn't come to me for anything unless it was pretty darn important, so if it's not a woman-related problem, then it must be-"
"My girls."
Shawn was somewhat shocked by the abrupt admission; but the suddenness of it all took the fire out of his voice, temporarily, and in a gentle voice, he asked, "Are they okay, your little ones?"
Mark nodded, and a ghost of a smile made its way back onto his face. "Yeah, they're good. Full of attitude and afraid of nothing, but yeah, they're good."
"Tell me about it," Shawn smiled in reply, giving the big man a pat on the arm. "You've done good, Mark, with your girls, even with all you've been through."
'Taker returned his gaze to Shawn. "Thank you, that means a lot," he said softly. "Although I'm not so sure..." He inhaled deeply and ran a hand through his dark hair. It had been so long since he'd dyed it that the natural red was shining through.
"My ex-wife and I...I really want to see the girls more than I do now," he admitted, feeling the tiredness of the past several months weighing on him. "But I'm not home enough. I know that; they need their mom, and their dad..."
Shawn nodded sympathetically. He had heard the tales of many a man whose wife had left them, and taken the kids, while they were on the road. Silently, he thanked God that he had someone like Rebecca.
"I was angry," 'Taker continued, eyes still far away as he recounted. "I told her that I'd be home to take care of the girls for the next several months...But my time off doesn't start yet..." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head.
"My wife and I...we're both still on the road," he explained, sighing. "We both have some time off coming up, but...I haven't seen my little angels in so long, it's been..."
Shawn's heart had been constricting with every word Mark spoke, but he absolutely felt it breaking when the man admitted to having not seen his children in a long stretch of time. Any and every wrestler with children knew that that was the worst feeling ever. Forget being thrown around a ring, pushed through glass, slammed through tables...
Nothing hurt worse than missing your kids.
Almost instinctively, Shawn reached out and hugged the man in front of him, pulling him into a warm embrace. Though there was a substantial height differential, the Heartbreak Kid had gotten plenty of practice hugging Hunter, so he had no trouble embracing the Undertaker.
Both men stood very still for a long moment, and even though 'Taker's arms remained at his sides, his sigh and the slight pressure of his head against Shawn's told him that the gesture was appreciated.
"I can help you," Shawn said as he took a step back, releasing his hold. "Until you get your time off, I can be a nanny for your girls."
Mark's green eyes lit up, widening slightly. "Shawn, that's—I was just going to ask you to hire a babysitter for me and keep it a secret."
Now Shawn scowled, and with no warning punched the big man in the arm, hard enough to draw an "Ow!" from his lips.
"What do you think I am, the Worst Man on Earth?" he asked, clearly offended. "Look, I'm here at home basically everyday now; I have two little ones of my own, and I'm sure they'll play nicely with your girls. Provided no one gets Tombstoned, of course."
The Undertaker shook his head, trying to take everything in. "Shawn, you don't have to do all this," he said at last. "I already dumped all of my emotional bullshit on you, pardon the expression. I can't ask you to take care of my children too."
The Heartbreak Kid rolled his eyes. "Mark, listen to me, and listen good: You're. My. Friend. It may have happened slowly, and sort of on its own, but I feel close to you, man. I can trust you, and you sure as heck can trust me. And...I know as well as you do that our kids...They're our saving grace. They may need us, but we need them to save us from our own darkness too." He took a deep breath and smiled up at the dark, secretive man in front of him.
"You and your 'loner' crap. Last Outlaw," Shawn scoffed comically. "Give me a break."
Now 'Taker was the one standing there with a look of surprise on his face! Before he could stop himself, a laugh escaped his lips, and all too late he lifted his hand to his mouth to stifle it.
"Ha!" Shawn chuckled triumphantly. "You do like me! Or, at least, you don't hate me..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Now, when are you dropping the girls off? I'll have to set up the guest room for them...Oh, and we can plan a trip to the kids' rec center in the city..."
Apparently having no choice in the matter, Mark smiled and gave in. "I'm picking them up from their mom's house next week...I'll drop them off over here on Saturday." He watched gratefully as Shawn punched the details into his phone, and set the alarm.
"Shawn Michaels...thank you," 'Taker said when all was arranged, wanting to kick himself for
choking a little on the lump that had formed in his throat. "I don't deserve your kindness."
"And I don't deserve yours," Shawn answered sincerely, looking the Deadman in the eye. "Now, don't start crying on my porch, or I'll punch you again."
Shaking his head, still in disbelief of his good fortune—or, rather, Shawn's easy goodness—the Undertaker smiled, and this time it was a full, happy smile. "No tears, Shawn. I'll see you soon." He started to leave, but instead pulled Shawn into a tight, warm hug.
"Hey, that was kinda scary, 'Taker," Shawn choked out, the air all but crushed out of his lungs. He used to have the same problem with Hunter, back in the day...
"Sorry," Mark chuckled, letting the smaller man go. "I hope my girls don't bury you alive before I get back," he taunted as he walked off the porch and climbed onto his motorcycle.
Shawn laughed incredulously. "Yeah, well, they'd better not, unless they want to watch their daddy getting the hell beaten out of him!" he countered with a smile.
"Watch your goddamn language!" was all that Shawn heard as the black bike sped off into the night. With a bright smile and a shake of his head, he gave a single wave before going back into his house.
"A good man," he mused, still smiling as he closed the door behind him. "And a guardian angel too."
Another fic from my mushy stage with 'TakerMuse...Review?