A/N: After watching Raw this past Monday I had to write something. It pissed me off how JBL was treating Shawn, but I couldn't help but feel inspired. I haven't written a Shawter in a while, so I decided this would be one.

Disclaimer: I still don't own them, no matter how much I wish for it. Vince owns them and then they own themselves.

Summary: After watching JBL's Employee Appraisal, Hunter's temper gets the best of him and he goes to do the one thing that he does best...take care of his Shawny. Slash! Shawter.

Hunter stared at the television in shock. He couldn't believe that piece of wrestling garbage actually had the nerve to even touch Shawn. He had really crossed the line tonight, humiliating him like that. Some of the guys had told him Bradshaw was getting very controlling, but Shawn had assured him everything was fine. He had even heard that Bradshaw was getting a little too comfortable with slapping Shawn around, and Hunter wasn't having that. He grabbed his keys and made his way to the door, only to run into Mark.

"Where are you going?"

Hunter slipped past him and out the door, but not before grabbing the spare sledgehammer he always kept with him, "I have some business to take care of."

Mark walked farther into the room and glanced at the television. He immediately realized what was going on and smirked. "Looks like someone's gonna be resting in pieces tonight."

Hunter raced out of the hotel and down to his rental. He'd never been so happy to not have to work at a house show in his life. He raced down the road, determined to get to the arena before the show ended. As he drove only one thought raced through his mind, 'I warned Bradshaw not to touch him, but he didn't listen and now he's gonna pay.'

This was one of the few times that all three brands were in the same state for different shows. The towns Raw and Smackdown were in weren't too far apart and Hunter had planned to visit Shawn after Raw ended, but this just gave him an incentive to get there faster.

Shawn stood in the showers alone, away from the pitying glances of all the others. Dark bruises adorned his back and sides, reminders of all the times when he's screwed up for JBL. He reached up and gently touched the spot where Bradshaw had slapped him and sighed. He wondered how things could get so bad, so quickly. He couldn't believe he'd actually let someone like JBL control him like this. 'I'm the Heartbreak Kid Dammit! Nobody tells me what to do!" Instead of making him feel better, that thought just made him more depressed. He wished it could be that easy to break away from him.

Shawn had just finished dressing when the door busted open and revealed the person he hated more than anything. He glared at the other Texan, "What the hell do you want Bradshaw?!"

John just continued smirking at him, a sign Shawn recognized to mean that he was up to good, "You know you weren't supposed to accept my proposal for that match at No Way Out, so for that little show of defiance you'll have to pay the price."

Shawn snorted and stood from the bench, "What are you gonna do, beat me again?" He walked closer to John until he was staring him dead in the eyes, "You can beat me, whip me, and treat me like shit, but you can't break me." Shawn had no idea where this sudden burst of courage came from, but he wasn't going to question it. He began walking out of the room until John's tight grip on his arm pulled him back.

John couldn't help but chuckle at Shawn's little speech, "Where'd you get that one Shawny, a fortune cookie?"

Shawn instinctively backhanded John so hard his lip busted, "You have no right to call me that you asshole! Only Hunter can!"

John's chuckling suddenly ceased as he felt the blood coming from his lip. He instantly grabbed Shawn by the shoulders and shoved him into the concrete wall, making the other man wince. He leaned in close to Shawn, his lips brushing against his neck. "You brought this on yourself Shawn, so just lie back and enjoy it."

Shawn fought hard, doing his best to free himself from the other Texan. John refused to let go and punched him hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and effectively stopping Shawn's struggle. Shawn felt sick as John ran his hands over his body. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to block out what was being done to him. The so-called wrestling god had done a lot to him since he became his employee, but nothing like this. He was truly getting scared. "Hunter...where are you?" He whispered softly.

Apparently he didn't whisper it softly enough as John heard him and began to laugh. "Hunter isn't here now. Besides, what could he do if he was here?"

"Probably something like this." A voice said from the doorway. John quickly turned to the doorway and briefly saw the enraged face of the Game before he came face to face with his sledgehammer, which knocked him to the ground. "And that's just the beginning."

Shawn frozen in shock and just continued to stare at his lover as he pummeled his boss with his sledgehammer. Hunter grabbed the bloody and broken man below him and pulled him against the wall and began slamming his head against it. Shawn knew he had to do something, after what he just witnessed Hunter really might kill John.

"Hunter...please stop. I'm alright ok? Let's just go." He slowly walked over to Hunter and grabbed his arm, keeping him from attacking Bradshaw anymore. "Just come back to the hotel with me."

It seemed for a moment that Hunter wasn't hearing his words, but after what seemed like an eternity Hunter finally put him down. As they walked out of the room, Hunter couldn't help but have the last word. He turned back to John who still lie slumped against the wall, "If you ever lay a hand on Shawn again, even he won't be able to stop me from killing you."

They two walked out of the arena in silence and the ride to the hotel wasn't much better. Neither one of them spoke until they were back at the hotel where Shawn began to sob, the events of the night finally catching up with him. Hunter took Shawn into his arms, "It's alright Shawny. He's never gonna lay a hand on you again."

Shawn continued to sniffle, "How?! I have to work for him. I need the money Hunter!"

Hunter sighed. Shawn could be so stubborn sometimes, "I'm getting an idea. If you win the match at No Way Out you'll be free from him right?"

Shawn nodded. "Yeah, but I can't touch him because I'm still his fucking employee!"

He pulled Shawn closer to him, "Shawn..." he began, " I'm gonna come back to Raw. After what I did to him tonight he'd be crazy to touch you again. I'm not gonna leave you alone anymore."

Shawn gasped. He couldn't believe that Hunter would do something like that just for him. "Hunter I can't let you do that. This is my fight and I don't want you fighting it for me. I don't want you bringing yourself down for me."

"I have plenty of years left to be on top in the business. I'm not gonna let the man I love get hurt for a little extra fame."

Shawn couldn't help but smile at Hunter. The first genuine smile he'd had in a while. Hunter always had a way of making him feel better when he was down and this was no exception. Hunter smiled back, wiping the remaining tears from his eyes. "At least wait a little while before you do anything, ok Hunt? Just give me a chance to get myself out of this."

Hunter contemplated this for a moment. All he wanted to do was protect Shawn, but knew how stubborn as his lover was. He wouldn't allow anyone to give him help if he felt like he didn't need it. "Alright. We'll do this your way, but do you at least have a plan?"

"Actually I do." Shawn turned to Hunter and grinned. "I may not be able to touch him, but he didn't say anything about anyone else. "So Hunter..."

"Yeah Shawn?"

"I think it might be time for a little DX reunion."

"Hunter smiled, Shawn tightly and kissing him on his forehead, "You read my mind baby. You read my mind."