A/N: Update! New Chapter for your reading pleasure. Thank you all so much for the reviews you've been so kind to give me, it's been truly inspiring to read all your kind words and comments on what I've written. I hope, as ever, you've enjoy this chapter. Please read and review, I really love to hear what you guys thing. As ever I disclaim!


"You okay there munchkin? You look like you're gonna lose your lunch."

Trish grinned without turning around, knowing she would recognise that voice anywhere. There was only person in the world who had ever used that word to describe her, and even now, it brought a goofy smile to Trish's lips. Turning over her shoulder, Trish offered the warm, beaming smile to the CEO of the company, Linda McMahon.

A regal looking woman, Linda gave the impression of authority wherever she went. She wasn't physical overbearing, about average height with ash blonde hair. One thing Trish had always admired in Linda was her dress sense. She always looked amazing no matter what she wore, and Trish hoped when she reached that age she would look good half as good.

Standing at the side of Trish, loosely holding a cup of luke-warm coffee, Linda gently rested her arm around Trish's shoulder, focusing on the monitor which Trish had been watching. With both hands rested on her stomach, Trish made massaging motion, trying to ease the turbulence there.

"I've got a nervous stomach," Trish admitted, "I've been feeling like this all day. I am pretty petrified of going out there tonight. It's been the best part of a year since I was in a wrestling ring."

"So why'd you come back?" Linda's voice was soft and calming, without the pretence of cunning or subterfuge. As the matriarch of the McMahon family, she was seen as the clear level headed one, the steadfast rudder to the wayward vessel that were the McMahon's. Linda had had her fair share of difficulties since being married to Vince, but she stuck by her husband no matter what - or how egomaniacal he became.

Some would call it blind loyalty, but in some way Trish actually admired Linda for her courage and devotion to Vince. However much she would use her authority to thwart her husband's maniacal schemes and ambitions, she would ever remain the faithful wife to Vince. Trish considered that a testament to the strength of their marriage, even if it meant coping with a man like the Chairman.

Could Trish honestly tell Linda the reason for her returning? The words 'because your son and husband' forced me too she doubted would go down too well. Besides, if she couldn't tell her own husband what was going on, Trish wouldn't very well tell anyone else.

Things had been somewhat strained between Randy and Trish for the final week of his suspension. Randy could read Trish like a book, and he knew very well when she was keeping something from him. In this case, the future of his entire career rested on the proposition made to Trish. Would she sacrifice everything she had become on her own for the man she loved? There weren't two ways around it. There was no way Trish could assume the position of General Manager and run her own business. One would eventually buckle under the strain, and both would collapse.

And weren't the pro's of taking the job outweighing the con's of leaving her business? Trish would return to the company that had been her heart and soul for so long. She would return to the business that was in her blood and dominated every waking thought. It had been the hardest decision in the world to leave, but the time was right back then. And now, she could come back, without having to put up with the weary travelling and constant physical pain of competing. Trish could be with Randy twenty-four/seven again. And she would save his career. It hadn't been so long ago, that he had done the same for her. If ever Trish needed to prove to herself that she deserved to be his wife it was now.

All these thoughts had led to Trish secretly calling Shane whilst Randy was at the gym, and accepting the offer. Shane had sounded quietly relived on the phone, but he must have known Trish didn't have a choice. All she asked was that no-one mention to Randy the terms of her return. The last thing she wanted was Randy having a guilt trip over her giving up her own dreams to further his. It was better this way.

The lying to Randy was something she would have to get over. It hadn't done much for her composure, and a growing sense of unease had been building all week. And Trish was well known for her weak stomach, and nausea had ensued. The day before her return to Monday Night RAW, Trish had done her best to pack her things to join Randy, albeit secretly. Minutes after they had embraced as a goodbye, Trish had taken a taxi to a private airfield to board a privately funded McMahon jet.

A brief business meeting later, and Trish was left to a hotel room by herself, her conscious and her nausea. Part of her craved to tell Randy. He was the one person on the planet that could quieten her fears and settle her nerves. But that would defeat the entire object of her being here. She would just have to suck it up and deal with it on her own.

A mere half an hour before RAW was due to broadcast, Trish had arrived in secret at the arena. As a pretence, Shane had instructed every single person on the roster to be at ringside for the opening of the show, as a major announcement was due to take place. And now, watching from backstage, her eyes fixed on the monitor, Trish barely heard any words that Shane spouted, as he paraded around the ring, the entire talent surrounding it, perched on the ring apron. It seemed some kind of confrontation was going down, involving Randy, Shawn Michaels, Edge, John Cena and HHH, as to who deserved the right to be the number one contender. As the incumbent Champion, Hunter seemed to favour Edge, but neither John or Randy would give up so easily it seemed.

Ringside

"Shane, you've got to look at this from a business stand point. What the people need is something they've never seen before. A new mix of talent facing off inside this ring. The Game, the greatest wrestler alive today against the up-and-coming future leader of this company, Edge in a title match. It's what the people want!" To a resounding chorus of 'boos', Triple H continued to stalk around the ring as John Cena took the microphone.

"Whatever man! These people don't wanna see Edge here get his ass handed to him by 'The Game'. These people wanna see me, their boy Cena take on the Game and become the Champ!" The intensity of the crowd pushed a little further, with more open to that particular match. It seemed as though Shane wasn't interested in what anyone had to say.

"Unfortunately guys, you've all got a decent claim to take on Hunter for the WWE Championship. But the decision is out of my hands." Holding the crowd's attention as whispers passed around the ring and indeed into the arena as to what Shane meant, he continued, "you see, I've decided to resign my position as General Manager of RAW, and hand over the reigns of power to a person I know can make an authorities decision on what's to happen. I've brought you all out here tonight to meet your new general manager…"

Backstage

Trish's body tensed, as she prepared for what was to happen next. Shane was working the crowd over expertly, building the anticipation of the fans to a peak. Everyone was desperate to find out who his replacement was. Steeling her stomach, Trish turned to face Linda, and answer her question. Despite herself, she couldn't keep the wistful smile on her lips as she spoke.

"Because it's the right thing to do." With a brief hug, more for support than anything else, Trish stepped free of Linda's embrace, and headed up the steps to the curtains leading the staging. Each step weighed heavily on Trish's mind. There was no turning back now. Each step brought her closer to the ring, to the new future as RAW General Manager. She forsaking her own personal happiness for Randy. Someday, she planned to tell him why she would so such a thing. But it wasn't that time right now. Now it was time for Trish to what she did like no other on earth.

It was time to deliver 100 Stratusfaction.

"…please welcome your new General Manager of RAW…"

Shane's words echoed around the arena, reverberating in a silent oblivion. Silence descended over the entire arena, every single set of eyes turned to the entrance way. The Titan Tron dimmed slightly, as the collectied public assembly took in a unified breath, and held it…

The infamous 'giggle' which rolled out from the speakers seemed to catch the arena off guard, as though they couldn't process what they had just heard.

"Oh! It's Time to Rock and Roll, This Time I'm In Control!"

Never in her life, not when she had won her Women's Championship, not when she had won her tag championship, not even when she had participated in the most gruelling Elimination Chamber ever had Trish Orton ever heard such an explosion of sound. It was like a thousand bombs going off once, literally shaking the very foundations of the building with the intensity of the noise. Images or Trish flashed across the screen, as the woman herself appeared on the staging, to a standing ovation.

Trish looked every inch the professional, clothed in black pin stripe business suit, her long blonde hair pulled back out of her face, giving an innate impression of authority. Making her way down the ramp, Trish tag the hands of the enthusiastic fans, basking in the sheer adulations shown to her. This was a moment Trish had fantasized about since leaving the WWE. Returning under a blaze of glory. But not even her wildest dreams had she ever anticipated such a reaction. It even dwarfed the kind of reception Hulk Hogan received. The fans were in throws of ecstasy at seeing the WWE Diva, and their new General Manager, Trish.

Taking the steps into the ring, Kenny of the Spirit Squad stepped back to allow her into the ring, unable to keep the smile from his face. Indeed, everyone around the ring, be they past enemy, friend or indifferent, could not contain their joy at seeing Trish return to the place where they felt she belonged, a WWE ring. Shaking Shane's hand as genuinely as she could, she watched him make his exit from the ring, before raising the mic to her lips to address the arena.

Of course, the fans weren't about to give her that opportunity, as the 'Welcome Home Trish' chants which had begun on her arrival refused to die down. At ring side, Lillian Garcia, JR and Jerry Lawler were on their feet, applauding the tiny Canadian in the centre of the ring. The superstars followed suit, each clapping their hands in respect and adulation of Trish. Feeling the tears stinging the back of her eyes, it was all she could do not to burst into floods of tears. The nausea which had been plaguing her simply vanished to the greatest feeling of utter love she had ever felt.

And to make it even better, Randy led the applause, his beautiful blue eyes shining with tears of his own, being full or pride and respect for his returning wife. As if a throw back to her past wrestling days, Trish raised her arm as she always had, saluting the crowd. Their response was an even louder explosion of cheers, causing Trish to giggle. Realising no matter how special this moment was, there were time constraints to adhere to, Trish took the microphone to her lips once more, attempting to speak over the roar of the crowd.

"Thank you so much guys. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the most incredible welcome ever." Trish smiled warmly, as the cheers and applause broke down into separate pockets of fans dotted in the crowd. "As Shane told you all, I've have been hired as the new General Manager of Monday Night RAW. It is a position I feel very humbled and honoured to be offered, and of course to accept."

Grinning at the cheers, Trish continued. "I had the most amazing six years of my life in front of you all. You stood by me, and supported me through my amazing journey as competitor and Diva on RAW. And now, it's my turn to give something back to you all. I promise you, Monday Night RAW won't know what hit. I pledge before you all, to deliver one hundred per cent, Stratusfaction Guaranteed."

The cheers were explosive, and took a good five minutes to quieten. "And as my first act as General Manager, I'm going to make tonight's Main Event here and now. There seems to be a contest as to who is the Number One Contender for HHH's WWE Championship. Well, tonight we will solve that. It will be a Fatal Four Way Elimination, Tables Match, between John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton and Edge. The only way to be eliminated is for you to be put through a table. There will be no pin falls, no count outs and no submissions. In addition, it will be No Holds Barred. You boys want that title, then you'll have to work for it."

The crowd swelled to a loud cheer in appreciation of Trish's match making. "But to kick things off tonight, a kind of match that's close to my heart. We're going to have ourselves a little girl on girl fight. Lita, Victoria and Jazz? You girls are going to fight a Triple Threat Match for the Women's Championship. And that match starts…now! Clear the ring and ring the bell."

Tossing the microphone over the top rope into Lillian Garcia's waiting hands, Trish strode out of the ring, as the bell rung. Jazz was the first to react, slamming Lita down viscously in a side-walk slam. As Victoria got herself in on the action, Trish turned to face the Titan Tron, making her way back up the ramp as she was certain things were beginning well. Behind her, the RAW Superstars cleared the immediate area, filling up the ramp and back to their respective locker rooms.

Making her way backstage, Trish hurried down the steel steps, past the monitors and production staff, heading into the nearest corridor. Trish's heart was pounding wildly in her head, her hand held to her heart as tried to regain her breath. Trish had gotten through her first twenty minutes as General Manager. Now she just needed to make it to the end of the night. If I can do that, then it's been a good night.

Trish's final thought seemed rather ominous and unattainable, as it was the last thing she remembered thinking, before collapsing to the ground.