Title: ATM and the Hunger Strike
Author: Kaykyaka
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used within this fictional story. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made by this work of fiction.
Ratings: K+
Characters: Lita, Trish Stratus (not married in this story), Melina, DX, Edge, Nitro, Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, Randy Orton, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, Linda McMahon, Vince McMahon.
Summary: A loss of appetite among teenage girls has a mother worried and Vince McMahon takes ill for the first time. Is there a connection? ATM are going to find out.
Nine – The Gift and The Curse
"Boy do I fell better now," Shawn said smiling brightly after Nitro blessed him with his kind words and laid his hands on him, "you gave him your Anointing?" he asked Lita.
"No I just anointed him," she answered.
"But why couldn't you get Melina's powers back yourself?" Carlito asked.
"Because I can't, the Holy Spirit told me that only someone who's love for her was equal to the power of her love for them could do it,"
"And that would be Nitro," Carlito said.
"That's right Li," Lita said, "I'm guessing and I'll have to check with the Truth on this but Melina must have been thinking about Nitro when she was massaging Randy which caused a surge in her healing powers and he took advantage of her vulnerability,"
"That bastard!" Edge snapped.
Shelton came into the waiting room like an apparition and Shawn rolled his eyes wondering what the next installment of his campaign to get into the Kliq would be.
"You see as great as love is it can also make us weak," Lita continued, "And we're so blessed that we have God's loved to make up for our short-comings,"
"Yeah I mean if all we had was each other we'd be getting all our butts kicked every two seconds by Satan," Shelton said and everyone agreed.
"Um Shelton, we are getting our butts kicked every two seconds by Satan," Carlito corrected him.
"But-" Shelton began.
"It is us not him that gets the victory in the end," Shawn interjected.
"Amen!" everybody said except Shelton.
"Not only do you steal the spotlight on RAW now you're stealing Scriptures out my mouth," Shelton complained.
"What you think I'm gonna stand here and let you out-preach me?" HBK replied.
"Yeah Shelton that kind of attitude ain't gonna get you in the Kliq," Carlito said.
"Can it Carlito!" Shelton said, "I cleaned your house, I did your laundry and I hid Coach's car keys, if you think I'm gonna do one more thing to try and get in the Kliq you made a sad mistake!" he said poking Shawn in the chest.
"Oh I get it, Becca said that if you talk tough to me you'd get in right?" Shawn said and Shelton nodded.
"Did it work?" he asked hopefully.
"Let me see," Shawn said scratching his chin, "Um, no!" he said.
"That's it you're going down!" Shelton said and did a takedown on HBK and the two of them wrestled around while Carlito played ref. Edge and Lita looked at each other.
"I can see why God gave you the Anointing and not these guys, imagine wrestling around on the floor while Melina's lying in a hospital bed," Edge admonished them.
"Hey Carlito that was a fast count!" Lita shouted out and a nurse told her to be quiet. Edge turned away in embarrassment and Lita skipped over to enjoy Shelton vs. HBK for the 3rd time.
"And Shelton's got Shawn in a Hammer Lock," she said calling the match, "somehow Shawn manages to work his way out of that into a single leg takedown on Benjamin,"
"Lita what are you doing?" Edge said coming over to her.
"Romans 8:28 Edge," she said and Edge reflected on the famous passage.
"This is your way of burning off the stress of waiting for Nitro to come back isn't it?" he said.
"Bingo, sit down," she said and Edge sat next to her on the waiting room chairs.
"I am joined at this time by my special guest Edge, a two-time WWE Champion who holds a victory over the Showstoppa at the Royal Rumble 2005. Edge what chance do you think Benjamin has in this match up here tonight?"
Edge couldn't resist and found himself getting into character again.
"Well Good Ol' Lita I think Shelton has a very good chance here tonight. Word of advice though he might wanna go for HBK's hair it falls out pretty easily," he said.
"The ref is telling HBK to focus on the match and ignore Edge's comments," Lita said and Edge started laughing.
"How does it feel to have a victory over Shawn Michaels?" Lita asked.
"Lita cut it out!" Shawn said after slamming Shelton to the floor.
"Hey you're not supposed to hear me," Lita replied and Shelton rolled up HBK in a schoolboy, "1-2-3, Shelton beats HBK!"
"See Lita that's how you know there's a God because the Lord would never let Satan distract him so easily," Edge quipped and everybody nodded.
Randy's home in St. Louis:
Randy lay back on his bed in the dark and closed his eyes completely relaxed. He hadn't felt so good physically his entire life, the Holy power coursing through his body put all concerns to one side and enabled him to almost float to sleep. So content was Randy that he didn't hear the back door creaking open or the man coming up the stairs. His bedroom door opened without a word from him and the cat-like approach of Nitro towards the bed gave Randy no indication that he was not alone in that room. Nitro snatched the bed covers back and looked at his target.
"Open your eyes Randy," Nitro said but Randy couldn't hear him. Nitro took hold of his hands and closed his eyes. Seconds later Randy's eyes popped open and he instinctively squeezed his hands in fright at seeing Nitro towering over him which made Nitro's task even easier.
"In the name of Jesus Christ I bind you, I will be a vessel unto the Holy Spirit who will take back the power of healing that you have stolen form Melina the Miraculous. I command you now to release it!" Nitro shouted and the healing power Randy had stolen from Melina entered Nitro's body. Suddenly Nitro could feel his blood being contaminated by something and he could tell it was not Melina's. Not wanting to pass whatever it was back to Melina Nitro tore away from Randy and ran out of the house to his girlfriend leaving Randy as he was: a broken, sore wreck with a bad temper. Randy crazily scrambled to his bedroom window and stuck his head out so Nitro could hear him. When he opened his mouth nothing came out. Randy frowned and opened his mouth again but the same thing happened: nothing came out. Then it occurred to him: Nitro stole his voice. His face was hot with rage and he fantasized about how to exact revenge on the IC Champ. He turned to his bed and saw his cell-phone flashing but he couldn't hear it, then he realized he couldn't hear anything. He tried to smell himself but he couldn't do that either, then he licked his finger and couldn't taste anything. Then it hit him: Nitro had stolen all five of his senses. He clenched his fists furiously and started to destroy everything in his path. Then he left the room and started to break stuff around the house, then he left the house and started to destroy his car. He stormed up the road like the Incredible Hulk and nothing in his path was safe.
It was midnight in Connecticut and Shane, Linda and Stephanie were gathered around Vince McMahon's bed watching him sweat and struggle with hunger pains. Linda wiped down his brow with a damp cloth. Shane held Stephanie's hand both were unable to talk, all they could do was watch what was going on in hope that Vince would change his mind about going to the hospital. They tried to sneak a doctor in to examine Vince while he was resting but Vince wouldn't let him anywhere near him and the doctor left much to the disappointment of the McMahon family.
"Who could that be?" Shane said as the doorbell rang.
"I'll go see who it is," Stephanie said getting up.
"Shane go with your sister," Linda said and he obeyed.
"Hunter!" Shane exclaimed as Stephanie opened the door, "What are you doing here?"
Hunter smiled at his wife and couldn't stop the smile from spreading over his face, it was so good to see her even if she was still pissed at him for refusing to stay away from the house.
"Trish?" Stephanie said puzzled looking over his shoulder and saw the retired Women's Champion looking back at her.
"Okay guys, this really isn't a good time our father's really sick and we'd rather just be alone right now," Shane said but Stephanie shook her head at him knowing that if Trish was here there was a very good reason for it.
"You know what's wrong with my father don't you?" Stephanie asked Trish and she nodded blankly not wanting to give any suggestions as to what it could be until she was face-to-face with the man himself.
"Wait how does she even know what's wrong with him?" Shane asked unconvinced as the two guests stepped into the house.
Stephanie smiled at the possibility of Shane being a witness to the Truth as he was convinced she was making the past few months of supernatural occurrences up.
"Trish!" Linda McMahon said in surprise s the Canadian Diva walked through her bedroom door, "What are you doing here at this hour?" she asked coming over to Trish and kissing her on the cheek but her face paled when she saw Hunter, "Oh I don't think you being here is a good idea,"
"I'm sorry Linda but this can't wait a minute longer," Trish replied and everybody looked at each other wondering what the Diva meant.
Trish sat next to Vince and shook her head; he was pale and weak she knew that if he didn't confess tonight he was going to die.
Back at the hospital:
Nitro tiptoed around the seats that had been arranged into beds where Edge, Shawn, Shelton and Carlito slept. Lita smiled as he opened the door and came over to where she was standing watching over Melina. Nitro looked down at his girlfriend her hands resting on top of her chest which wasn't moving. He took her hands and closed his eyes raising his head and Lita held onto his shoulders and prayed:
"By the power of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit I command full restoration of healing powers to Melina the Miraculous in Jesus name I pronounce it done!" she said. Melina's hands closed around Nitro's and she rose slowly from the bed. There was no breaking them apart it was as if they were all connected to each other. Melina opened her eyes and saw Nitro looking back at her and they both smiled.
"It is done," Lita said and touched Melina on the shoulder, "Welcome back," she said and Melina smiled at her lovingly.
"Mi hermana," she said and then loved over at Nitro, "mi amor," she said reaching out to him and he clasped his hand around her amorously.
"I'm ready Lita," he said and the Anointed one nodded. Melina watched as Lita went out the room, when she came back she brought a priest, Shawn, Shelton, Carlito, Edge and Maria with her. Their eyes lit up at the sight of Melina looking more radiant than ever as she sat up in the hospital bed staring back at them.
"What's going on?" she said and looked over at Nitro who got down on one knee and reached into his pocket.
"Melina, my love, my true love, mi solamente amor (my only love), I have waited for this moment for as long as I have known you. Shawn said that this whole thing with Orton was just a test and he was right because now more than ever I know you are the woman I'm supposed to be with for the rest of my life. Melina Perez, will you marry me?" Nitro said.
Melina clutched her heart her mouth agape. Maria covered her mouth in shock while the rest of the Superstars choked back tears.
"Yes!" Melina cried out ecstatically, "Of course I'll marry you!"
She flung her arms around Nitro and he lifted her off the bed into his arms, "Okay let's do it!" he said and the priest came over.
"Wait what about Trish?" Melina said and Shawn scratched his head knowing Trish might not be in the best mood for a wedding ceremony right now.
"Remember when I replayed my proposal to Lita? You can do the same for her," Edge said enthusiastically knowing how much this moment meant to Nitro.
"Okay," Melina said excitedly holding her boyfriend's hands.
"John Hennigan, do you take Melina Perez to be your lawful wedded wife?" the priest asked with the Holy Bible open.
"Yes," Melina answered looking into her boyfriend's warm eyes.
"Um Melina, he was asking me if I take you," Nitro said.
"Oh sorry I'm just so excited, start again father," she said and Nitro smiled at her fondly squeezing her hands a little tighter.
"Well since we already know your answer why don't you just say whether or not you wish to be Ms Perez' husband," the father said to Nitro.
"Without a doubt," Nitro said.
"Do you have the rings?" the father asked.
Melina's face dropped, "I don't have a wedding ring!"
"Yes you do," her mother said coming into the room and Melina looked up at her in shock, "I came prepared," she said and Melina burst into tears and hugged her.
"Oh Mama!" she said and hugged her tightly. Her mother wiped away a tear and handed her daughter a silver hoop which was a delicately fastened wedding ring and Melina looked at it curiously.
"Not my choice mammi," Mrs. Perez said nodding in Lita's direction and Melina blew Lita a kiss in gratitude.
"I love you both," she said and turned back to Nitro.
"You may exchange rings," the priest said and Melina slipped the silver ring onto Nitro's finger and he did the same only the ring he gave her had a huge rock on it. Melina fell to the side a little bit as she saw it and everyone rushed over to her anxiously.
"No guys I'm fine I'm just so impressed with my man's taste in jewelry," she said and Shelton and Carlito dusted off Shawn's shoulder because he had chosen the ring. He took a little bow and Edge rolled his eyes.
"Now if there is anyone who does not think that these two should not be wed," the priest started to say.
"NO!" Everyone yelled scared that Randy Orton was gonna burst through and interrupt the ceremony and the priest looked at them taken aback.
"Okay in that case, by the power vested in me I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride," he said and Nitro pulled Melina closer surveying her eyes thinking of a million things he could say but decided just to say one thing:
"I love you Melina,"
"I love you too Johnny," she replied.
The two kissed in front of the priest, a mother and a room full of people who didn't think there was anybody else in the whole universe who deserved each other as much as Melina and Nitro did.
Back at The McMahons:
"Vince?"
The Chairman of the Board slowly woke, he looked over to the Canadian blonde and frowned in confusion.
"Trish?" he said his voice hoarse and dry from lack of food, "What are you doing here?"
Trish leaned closer to him and said, "I'm here to save your life Vince,"
Linda gasped and looked over at Stephanie who was holding Hunter's hand anxiously while Shane looked on in confusion.
"Hunter do you know anything about this?" Linda asked the Cerebral Assassin who shrugged in response, he was as mystified to what was going on as anybody else.
"Okay Vince now listen to me, I'm going to ask you a series of questions and you must answer then truthfully or you will die right here in this bed," Trish said without humor.
"Trish!" Linda cried out angrily, "What is the meaning of this?"
"Linda please this is for the sake of your husband," Trish insisted putting her hand up for quiet and when she got it she turned back to Vince.
"How many times have you been sick in your life?" Trish asked.
Vince coughed and looked up and down thoughtfully.
"Once maybe twice," Vince answered.
"And how is this sickness different from these two other times?" Trish asked.
"This sickness is the result of something I've done," he answered, "something I've done to my family,"
"Is that family member in this room right now?" Trish asked.
"Yes," Vince answered.
"Which family member is it?" Trish asked and Vince slowly raised his finger to point the family member out.
"Me?" Stephanie asked surprised and Trish continued wanting to get it all out of Vince sooner than later.
"And what happened last weekend to make you sick Vince?" she asked.
Vince sat up in his bed to get more comfortable, he suddenly wasn't feeling so sick.
"I was eating breakfast with my family and Stephanie and Shane were playing around like they used to do when they were kids and that's when it happened," he said.
"That's when you got sick," Trish said.
"Yes," Vince answered.
"Vince you were sick because you have unconfessed sin in your life, if you confess your sin now your health will be restored," Trish said and Vince nodded feeling much better.
"What is this, who are you?" Shane asked.
"She's the Truth: Trish Stratus now shut up!" Hunter said irritated and Shane gave him an annoyed look which to be honest he was fine with.
"Steph come over here," Vince said waving his daughter over and she walked over to the bed confused and Vince took her hand.
"As you know I'm not too fond of that man over there," he said indicating Triple H with his eyes, "but you married him anyway,"
"Yeah I hoped he would grow on you," Stephanie said.
"He didn't, he hasn't and he never will," Vince replied and Stephanie looked down dejected by his words, "then you went and had his baby," Vince continued.
"Well I know how much you love children," Stephanie said.
"I do when they're mine and not contaminated by bad blood. Yes I love both yours and Shane's children very much but not enough to share the McMahon legacy with that man over there," Vince said sourly.
Hunter clenched his fists, if Vince didn't look so sick he would have surely pounced on him by now.
"So what do I have to do to make you happy Daddy?" Stephanie asked frustrated.
"Well let me ask you something Stephanie, are you a happily married woman?" Vince asked her.
"Yes very," Stephanie replied and Hunter beamed a little.
"Okay, then to answer your question nothing you can do will make me happy," Vince replied bitterly and pulled his hand away from Stephanie.
A look of terror formed in his daughter's eyes and Linda sat by Vince too and leaned over him.
"Vince what is this about?" she asked him and Vince looked over at Trish knowing that he couldn't lie.
"Do you wanna tell them or should I?" he asked whimsically and Trish couldn't believe his irreverent attitude towards the horrible thing he'd done.
"It's your sin," Trish said gritting her teeth and Vince looked at his daughter and didn't say anything for awhile then he bridged his hands and finally spoke.
"I've disowned you," he said and suddenly his health started to come back to him, within moments his health was fully restored, "Man I'm famished, Linda how about an early breakfast?" he said vibrantly while everyone else looked as though they had just witnessed a human sacrifice and in a way, they had; it was the sacrifice of the only daughter of Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
"You-you disowned me?" Stephanie asked in total shock.
"I sure did and it was really eating me up inside because I realized last weekend just how much I love you," Vince said getting up out of the bed that he had laid in all week and stretched," but then I realized I could reverse the whole thing by asking you if you loved me,"
"You never asked me that!" Stephanie shouted abruptly her heart racing furiously.
"No you just went ahead and did what you wanted to do and married him!" You know what that says to me Stephanie? I t says that you don't give a damn about me or this family!" Vince said passionately.
"But I do care I love you Daddy!" Stephanie protested falling ot her knees while Trips fought back the urge to kill the old man right where he stood.
"That's good Steph because you do have a chance to get back into the family," he said tying up his robe and putting on his slippers.
"What?" Stephanie asked on her knees, "I'll do anything!"
"Get a divorce," Vince replied simply and Stephanie's mouth dropped, "Oh and give Hunter full custody of Aurora Rose," he added and Stephanie went volcanic.
"There's no way I'm doing that," she said through clenched teeth.
Vince shrugged and knelt down real close to her.
"Then take your husband and your daughter and get the Hell out of my house!" he said and Stephanie went cold like she had lost all feeling in her body. Hunter pulled Stephanie up and carried her out of the room.
Linda was aghast and looked to her husband for an explanation but he just walked out of the room leaving Shane and Linda to play 20 questions with Trish for which she only had one answer.
"Guys you can talk Vince into changing his mind but it's going to take a lot of patience, he's a very stubborn man," she said.
"But why would he do this?" Shane asked beside himself.
"Like I said he's a very stubborn man, what better way to destroy DX than to mess with Hunter's personal life?" Trish answered simply.
"What are we gonna do?" Linda said distressed and Trish put her hand on Linda's arm.
"Just watch and pray Linda and don't abandon your daughter and grand-daughter," Trish said and left the room while Shane embraced his mother who wept on his shoulder.
Outside, Stephanie looked up at the light in her father's bedroom her tears glistening in the moonlight while Hunter wrapped his arms around her.
"This is my fault," he said, "Shawnie and me pushed Vince too far he's totally lost it!" he said but Stephanie wasn't listening she was still numb from what just went down between her and her father but Hunter continued to take all the blame, "Look I'll call Shawn and tell him the whole DX thing is off he'll understand. That'll appease Vince, this ain't about you Steph it's about me,"
"I know," Stephanie said nodding slightly in agreement but not saying anything more. She looked down at Aurora sleeping in her bassinette and thought that tonight could be the last night she ever saw her grandfather. As she buckled her seat belt and Hunter turned the key in the ignition she caught sight of Shane in the doorway and got out of the car as he came towards her. They hugged emotionally crying over each other and Stephanie could see her broken heart reflected in her brother's eyes.
"I'm not gonna let him do this to the family Steph, somehow someway I'm gonna fix this don't you worry," Shane said and Stephanie stopped crying, the thoughts in her head automatically drying her tears.
"But you don't like Hunter either," she said simply.
"Yeah but Steph it's your life, you know who you want to spend your life with," Shane replied and Stephanie nodded. "Take care of yourself okay? I'll call you tomorrow," he said pulling a strand of hair behind her ear and she nodded again.
"Come on Steph let's go," Hunter called from the car and Steph stood between her brother and her husband pondering the last hour and turned to leave then she turned back to face Shane.
"You know the past week has been the closest we've ever been as a family, I've never been more proud to be a McMahon," she said honestly but still shaken by the events that had taken place.
"You still are a McMahon," Shane reassured her but she said nothing and got into the car and drove off with her husband and baby girl.
"Trish how did you know all that?" Shane said going over to the Diva who was watching Hunter and Stephanie drive away.
"It's a gift and a curse," she replied as her taxi pulled up and she made her way to the hospital to tell her baby girl congratulations.
