CHAPTER TWO:

DX and The Hart Foundation were twenty minutes into a grueling match in which no finishers had been performed yet. Nicole and Chyna were in at the moment, and Chyna had just reversed Nicole's dropkick to deliver a massive suplex. Nicole was flattened out on the mat, and appeared to be unconscious, but when Chyna went for a cover, Nicole stretched out a leg, kicking Chyna in the face and knocking her off her feet.

HHH was quick to jump on the ref, waving his arms and complaining, which provoked the Harts to enter the ring and tried to get HHH to back down, and when Shawn saw Bret, he pushed his way into the ring as well. Soon there was utter chaos, and the referee rang the bell, a winner unclear in all the madness. The wrestlers didn't care, and continued to argue until Shawn threw the first punch. Bret Hart went down, and then chaos really broke out.

Shawn got thrown out of the ring, while HHH started brawling with Bret. Chyna tackled Nicole, and Owen struggled to free his teammate. Chyna threw Nicole onto the top turnbuckle, and before she could capitalize on the move, got distracted by Owen. HHH had shoved Bret, and he ran into Nicole, knocking her off of the top rope…

And right into the arms of the Heartbreak Kid.

Shawn caught Nicole around the waist, her hands against his chest. Nicole froze for a moment, at first unsure if Shawn would strike her or throw her down, but then she noticed that his gaze was focused intently on her face. Her cheeks burned, unsure, and she looked up at him for a moment, before she was ripped from his embrace. Her back hit the edge of the ring, sending sharp pains down her body.

She looked up, noticing Bret right in Shawn's face, screaming and pointing. She didn't have time to react before Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, and Owen were outside the ring. She pushed herself off of the apron, wincing in pain, and noticed Shawn's gaze flitting to her. He pushed away from the others, coming to her side, a look of concern on his unbelievably handsome face.

"Are you okay?" Shawn asked, gently putting a hand on her arm.

Nicole looked at him, confused. Shawn Michaels was supposed to be an arrogant, egotistical, narcissist. He wasn't supposed to care about anybody but himself… at least, that's what most people told her.

"Yeah," she said quietly. Bret was looking at them in exasperation, and the other two members of DX and Owen were also looking on, confused.

What, could they not speak without the world falling apart?

Nicole, getting annoyed, turned back to Shawn. He offered her a smile, before spinning around and strutting around the ring to the ramp. He turned on his heel, walking backward for a second to wave his comrades over. Chyna and HHH looked at each other in confusion. They made their way over to Shawn, their hands up as if to say, "What was that?" Shawn just waved it off, continuing down the ramp.

Nicole finally realized that the Harts were staring at her. She turned to her teammates, looking at Owen's confused face, and then at Bret's angry, perplexed one. She crossed her arms, glaring at Bret.

"You overreacted." she said, frowning.

"Overreacted?!" Bret said in disbelief. "He had no right to put his grimy little hands on you!"

Nicole rolled her eyes, starting down the ramp. "Well, it was nothing. Just calm down."

She looked toward the stage, though, and she was unsure.