(Disclaimer for story...insert standard disclaimer. I own no one or nothing of WWE's property. Nor do I own claim to any of the real wrestlers that may be named in this story. I only own Jade/Shadow/her family. Also any other non wrestling being mentioned. I make no money from this writing.)

Family Ties

July 1, 1989

A worried Vince & Linda McMahon sat quietly in a hospital chapel. Linda tried what she could to calm the tears wishing to roll from her eyes & Vince gave her a firm shoulder to lean against. Both having their own prayers of hope the Doctors can find what had started to make their little girl so weak. Stephanie had seemed so healthy before leaving for her friend's party that morning. Vince was actually on the road but the moment he had received the call about his child falling ill to the point of being hospitalized he rushed back to Connecticut.

They were not sure how much time it had passed when a nurse came to get them asking them to follow her. Walking into a small room the attending Dr was already there along with some other fellow.

"Cut the chase how is she?"

He nodding taking note of Vince's Bluntness. "Not great, but we have her stable."

"What's wrong with her?"

"We are still trying to figure that out...we have one of our hematologist Checking a few things & we hope to know soon." Just then a knock on the door before it was opened by the person who issued the knock.

"Excuse me Dr. Hoshin?"

"Yes Dr. Sarul, please come in..." The woman walked in holding a folder. Vince tried not to look surprised that a woman was a doctor. She walked over leaning to the first Dr to whisper something who just nodded. She then looked at the McMahon's lighting bowing her head.

"Hello I'm Dr. Sarul & I was just going over your Daughters blood tests. I am sorry I don't have the best of news." Linda gave a worried gasp which prompted Vince to take her one hand to comfort her. "Sorry to be so forward, but I see no point to sugar coat it as they say. Your daughter has a heightened level of white blood cells which point us to feel it is a type of leukemia. The thing she has other factors that make it hard to figure exactly what kind. Until we know that it is hard to exactly say the course of treatment would be best. I need your permission to send her results to my colleges in other hospitals to see if any of them may know exactly what we are dealing with."

"Of course...what ever you need to help Stephanie." Dr. Sarul handed Vince a paper which he quickly signed.

"We will give you a call as soon as we know anything."

"We are not leaving until we know she will be ok...we want to see her."

"Of course, I just wish to warn you seeing a sick child in a hospital can be a bit shocking."

"In my line of work little shocks me." Vince tried to laugh though he already had a feeling Dr Hoshin was correct.

"Follow me then please." The three of them left the room & headed for the ICU. Vince could feel Linda's hand shake inside his own when she saw those letters. Pushing a button & getting buzzed through the Doctor continued to lead them down a hall & into a small room. Laying there inside an oxygen tent as well as machines for heart rate, blood pressure & and who could guess what else was the form on the young sleeping Stephanie.

Vince fought to keep his own composure seeing his child like that. Hey a grown adult may have been different, but this was a child...HIS Child.

"I will leave you both some time with her...if you need anything you can ask the nurse down the hall." Dr Hoshin shook both their hands before turning to leave the room.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?" He turned back to face Vince.

"Can we touch her?"

"Yes you can sit in the chair next to her & reach in the flap of the tent...but please remember to try to wash your hands first. The tent is partly to aid her breathing, but also to try to keep any airborne illness from getting into her system till we can find out what she has."

Vince nodded as the Doctor left.

Before they had even finished talking Linda had already let go of Vince's hand to go clean hers. Moving to the seat in the room she careful took a hold of Stephanie's hand. Once again she tried not to cry...not to put on a brave face, but for Stephanie's health. Vince walked over to the window to look out for a few moments. He quietly listened to Linda talking to Stephanie with soft words of encouragement. Now that none would see except maybe Linda a few tears began to trace down his face.

About an hour later Vince suggested the two of them go grab a bite to eat. At first Linda refused, but then though better of it. Before leaving the ICU They told the nurse where they were heading & would be back soon. Leaving they drive slowly home not feeling like too much company. Reaching the house Linda goes to see what she can make for them to eat & also keep herself busy. Vince walks into his den/office to make a few calls including on the road to let them know he may be gone a few more days.

In the middle of eating the phone rang, based on the time they guessed it was the hospital. Vince went to answer it.

"Hello?...Yes speaking...Yes...Yes...Good, that's great...why not?...I see...I'll send my jet...OF COURSE!!!...I'll contact the pilot & let him know to expect your call, let me give you the port information...you can call there & give the board the needed information & I'll have him pick it up once he gets there..thank you Doctor."

"Excuse me a minute...I'll fill you in right after I get back." He left the room heading back for his den, Pulling out a small book from the desk he quickly flips through the pages. Finding the right number he picks up the phone dialing.

"...Leroy?...Leroy it's Vince I need you up & ready now...It's an emergency...I'm not going, you're going to pick someone up...no not Shane..." It hit Vince his son had no clue yet. " I need you to log a flight to Dublin & pick up a Doctor that will be waiting...The information will be or should be waiting for you once you reach the hanger...ok Later." Vince hung up the phone & returned to the dining room only to almost collapse in his chair.

"What they find? What's this about the jet?"

"They think they might have an idea of what is going on, but the only one that can tell them for sure is a Doctor in Ireland. They were going to get him on a normal flight, I figured the jet would be faster."

"Good thinking."

"Now sadly all we can do is wait. So it might be best if we try to rest for now...but we also need to decide if or when we tell Shane?"

"Oh no Shane...well we have to tell him, but what do we tell him if we don't even know?"

"Then we will wait, do point worrying him." They both agreed before heading up to bed.

Waking up to glance at the clock Vince nearly jumped from the bed not believing him & Linda both slept as long as they did. A bit surprised he didn't wake Linda he threw on a robe before heading downstairs.

"Morning Margaret."

"Oh Mr. McMahon Sir...how the young miss?" Vince tried not to let his features drop.

"Sadly not well we will be going to check on her soon. Please make Linda & I something to eat we should be down in...I guess about 30 minutes if even."

"Of course sir, whip something right up I will...if you not down yet I'll place the plates in the warmer for y'all."

"Thanks Margaret." Vince turned heading back up the stairs to find a stirring Linda. "Hey I'm going to grab a quick shower & I told Margaret we will be ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

"Good...any messages?"

"I didn't check yet, but I doubt it...it's a 10 hour flight by normal flights. My jet is faster but I doubt twice as fast." Linda nodded with a sigh as both of them started to get ready. Rest of the day was quite as they both spent time visiting Stephanie who was moments where she was awake & scared, but then would drift back to sleep. It wasn't until later that night that the specialist showed up & agreed it best he start to work as soon as he could. He thanks the McMahon's for the special flight it was very smoothed & allowed him time to get some sleep before starting.

It was a few more hours before he asked to see them both. Entering a small meeting room they all sat.

"I have good news & bad. The good is I believe I do know what is affecting your daughter. It can be treated, but not cured. It is a rare genetic illness that only a few of us have read cases on, but rarely treated."

"SO you're basing my daughter's treatment on something you read?" Linda grabbed Vince's hand as if to tell him to be quite.

"Please pardon my husbands outburst...please go on."

"Oh course...the treatment actually starts with you sir. I need to first draw a sample of your blood to look for the marker that will confirm to deny the diagnosis."

"Mine?!"

"Yes sir...Males are...um...carriers of the illness but never show symptoms, sadly female children get it from the fathers side of the family."

"So if I have this marker...you can treat her?"

"Yes, just letting you know the first step would be a bone marrow transplant from you sir."

Vince nodded "Of course...now if i have this marker as you call it...does that mean My daughter or son can pass it to their children?"

"Your daughter no...now you son it may be best he get checked for the marker as well. If he has it, we can try to treat it depending on age to prevent it spreading past his generation of your family."

"He is 19."

"Hmm pre-puberty is best, but we can try. Though he may need to be checked every so many years to see if the treatment is holding. Now sir if your follow me."

"Of course." Vince gave Linda a quick kiss before leaving. After he left she made her way back to Stephanie's room.

Over the next day different test & procedures were set up to help Stephanie & Shane was also contacted in College & informed he was needed back home immediately & sadly why. Stephanie was improving with the full treatment. In less then a week she was better & ready to go home from the hospital. The McMahon were informed she would need to take low level testosterone shots for the rest of her life. If she ever started to get symptoms again she would need to be checked out to maybe adjust the levels needed.