Title: His Last Goodbye
Plot: Shawn Michaels daughter, a 17 year old diva on Raw named Monica, reflects on her father retiring.
Disclaminer: Not my usual work. It's a one shot. I don't own Shawn or Taker or the WWE. I only own Monica.
"We only part to meet again."- John Gay
Before I tell you how I felt about the career versus streak match at WrestleMania, let me tell you who I am. My name is Monica and I'm an aspiring diva. I do mostly dark matches on Raw but I know someday I'm going to be a great diva. I have it in my blood. My dad was one of the greatest superstars who ever lived and the man who put everything on the line at WrestleMania all for a stupid streak. My dad is Shawn Michaels.
I got into wrestling because of my dad. He would drag me around backstage and introduce me to all these awesome people, like Uncle Hunter. I started to train with dad and Hunter and soon became the newest member of Degeneration X: unofficially of course. I was backstage the first time my dad fought The Undertaker at Wrestlemania. He didn't win of course but after that I started seeing something different about him. He'd watch EVERY Undertakers match almost as if he was dissecting it. It didn't feel right. It felt very, very wrong.
My fears were confirmed when he challenged the Undertaker to a match at Wrestlemania during the Slammy awards. Hunter thought he was joking but when the three of us were back in the locker room, dad said, "I'm serious about this guys. I want to face him again. I made one mistake. I won't do it again." When he actually went face to face with Taker for his answer, I was relieved when he was told no.
Then I saw the changes really start. First it was at the Royal Rumble when he eliminated Uncle Hunter to try to face the Undertaker. Then it was when he attacked Theodore Long, the General Manager of Smackdown, to let him into the Smackdown Elimination Chamber match. If it wasn't bad enough to watch my dad attack an innocent guy, it was even worse to see him cost himself and Uncle Hunter the Unified tag team championships to a leak like The Showmiz: not once but twice.
I saw him sitting in the living room the Tuesday after he attacked the Undertaker at Elimination Chamber. It was late, maybe 3:00 in the morning and I had heard a noise downstairs. It was dark and I came in to see him sitting in the darkness of the living room, watching the Wrestlemania 25 match against The Undertaker. "Daddy," I whimpered walking into the room.
He turned to look at me, "Hey baby girl."
"Daddy it's late. Shouldn't you go on up to bed with mom?" I asked, sitting next to him.
"He's mocking me," he murmured looking back at the screen. "He knows I'll do anything to get this match…"
I frowned, "Maybe it's a good thing he won't fight you. Maybe you should focus on someone else…"
He shook his head, "I want him at Mania. I'll do anything to get him at Mania…"
And do anything he did. Finally Taker accepted to face Dad: as long as Dad put his career on the line. Dad accepted and the words he said will forever echo in my ears: "If I can't beat you then I have no career."
That's why I'm sitting here backstage at WrestleMania watching my father face off against The Phenom. He's giving him his all, trying everything in his arsenal. But I can tell he's tired, he's weary. Then when I see Taker go for the Last Ride, I know in my heart it's over. I watch in horror as he pins my dad. 1! 2!...3! I let out a primal scream of anger and pain. That was my dad in the ring. My dad has just lost the match…that means his career is gone…
I run as fast as I can to the backstage waiting area. Taker is back here too and I just shake my head at him. "Did a simple streak mean that much to you? He's being forced to retire!" but when he looks at me I see something that I thought I would never see. I see The Undertaker, mean Mark Calloway, crying. It isn't much but I can clearly see the tears.
"He wanted this. He wanted his last WrestleMania to go out with a bang," Taker replies, As my dad gets backstage, Taker pulls him into a hug. "You're a tough son of a bitch Shawn."
My dad laughs, the tears more obvious on his face. "Thanks." He looks at me and smiles back at Mark, "Can we have a moment Mark?"
He walks away and I smile at my dad. I know tears are on my face but I don't want to seem like a baby. "Dad…"
"I came close again," is his only response. We have never been good at these awkward father/daughter moments.
"That you did Dad," I lose it. The tears cascade down my face and I fling my arms around him. "You came so close. It's not fair that you just have to walk away!"
"Monica, I agreed to it. I could have said not but I didn't. Think of it this way, I'll have more time for you and your mom."
"You'll be driving us crazy in three weeks. Can I leave the WWE to?"
He takes a step back and smiles, "See, I've talked to Uncle Hunter about this. He says that if you go, he'll have no one to form Degeneration X with."
Admist the tragedy of the moment, my eyes light up. "You…you mean I can be a member, a real member, of DX?"
"DX will always need a Michaels," he replies.
I hug him again and bury my face in his shoulder, "I love you daddy."
He kisses the top of my head and smiles, "I love you to buttercup. I love you to."
"Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye?"- Author Unknown
Not my best work but not my worst. Shawn will be missed, especially by the fans of DX. This is my tribute to him.