Paul stood frozen for what seemed like an eternity to him. To someone else, it would have been different, he supposed. The pit in his stomach seemed to be growing wider and deeper by the moment. He felt very unnerved by what had just taken place. Even more so by the fact that Vince McMahon was requesting a meeting - a conversation – with him. He wondered what Vince wanted to talk to him about. Unnerved to the very core, he took a deep breath to calm himself as he rubbed his head in curiosity.

After awhile, feeling collected enough, or at least as collected as he could be, he walked out of his lockeroom and down the long, winding corridor to Vince's office, letting his lockeroom door close behind him in the process. He did his best to choke back every ounce of anxiety and nervous tension running through every one of his veins. What Vince could possibly need to talk to him about this close to the show beginning, he had no idea, but he was certain that it couldn't be good whatever it was.

When he reached Vince's office, a nervous shudder ran down his spine as he seemed to quickly draw in a breath, then exhale as he knocked on the door.

"Come in." he heard from the other side of the door after a few moments.

Great, he is pissed. Kev was right. He couldn't keep that thought from crossing his mind. He slowly opened the door, and was pleasantly surprised when he was greeted with a warm smile, which he gladly returned with one of his own. "You wanted to see me?"

Vince McMahon stood from his leather desk chair, and walked around to the other side, warmly extending his hand to Paul. Everyone that knew and worked for Vince McMahon knew that this was just the calm before the storm. Usually. However, there were times when Vince lured the unsuspecting victim in, leaving them having no idea whatsoever to expect during the conversation. "Yes, Paul, I did." He kept his voice light. "Have a seat, and we'll chat."

A nervous lump rose in Paul's throat. The calmness in Vince's voice completely caught him off guard. He sat down in the chair Vince had encouraged him to sit in, not knowing what else to do. "What's on your mind, Vince?" he asked anxiously.

It was then that Vince realized he couldn't keep his charade going. He couldn't keep beating around the proverbial bush anymore to delay the conversation. "Well, Paul," The look in his eyes was somewhat empathetic, but maintained enough of a business-like seriousness to it. "I guess I'll just get to the point, since there's really no easy way of saying this." He sighed. "I wanted to let you know that as of now… I'm putting you on leave for awhile."

"You're what? But. I. Don't. Understand. Why?"

Vince sighed again. This was the part of being the Chairman and CEO of a multi-billion dollar company that he didn't enjoy most of the time. After all, his television alter-ego, Mr. McMahon, may have been cruel and heartless. That wasn't Vince in reality at all. Sure, he played to win. Everyone did at some point when running business. That was all part of what "competition" meant to him. Always had, and always would.

However, there was always something he had to consider in the back of his mind. That being his family. His family was the reason he was having this conversation with Paul. "I got a phone call from Shane a little bit ago. He seemed extremely pissed, and he was looking for you."

"Shane was looking for… me?"

"Yes, he was. I've already had all of your travel arrangements made for you, or you can chose to make your own if you'd like. You should head back to your lockeroom, gather your stuff, and head back to your hotel for the night." Vince made sure his voice was serious, but deep down, even he could tell how strained it had become. "If you would like, a car will take you home in the morning." He found the will to bring the serious business-like voice he knew he had to the forefront of the conversation. "You should call Shane and smooth things out with him. I won't be put in this position again. I will not choose "sides". You are one of my top talents, but he is my son. I won't have whatever this conflict is that's going on between the two of you affect or interfere with my family or business. You two are grown men, and I expect this conflict to be resolved by the two of you in a mature, adult fashion." His eyes were intently focused on Paul. "Am I clear?"

"But what about the show?"

"Don't worry about that right now, Paul." Vince cleared his throat, still maintaining the intensity in his eyes. "Right now, your only concern is getting whatever this conflict with Shane is resolved, and seeing that any other personal matters are taken care of. Understand?"

Paul felt like his head was caught in a hazy, disorienting, thick fog. A fog he was desperate to escape from, but just couldn't seem to no matter how tried to. No matter how fast he ran. Nothing worked. There was no clearing ahead. He just sat there, letting Vince's words – his ultimatum - sink in. Or at least try to. He just couldn't clear his mind enough to wrap his head around the entire conversation.

"Paul… Am I understood clearly?" Vince repeated with a growl.

"Do I really have a choice?"

Vince pondered the answer to that question for a moment. He didn't like being put in this position. Least of all by his own flesh and blood. His own son. "No, Paul, you really don't. Like I said, you are one of my top talents, and I have the utmost respect for you as an employee and as a man. Shane is my son, though. My flesh and blood. I won't lose one of my top talents, or my son, over some petulant tiff." He meant every word that had spewed from his mouth, and hoped that his facial expressions portrayed that correctly to the younger blond man.

"Well, then… to answer your question, Vince" Paul stood from the chair he'd been occupying and maneuvered his 6'4" frame around to the other side of it. "I guess I have no choice but to understand you clearly and do what you've asked me to do." He turned toward the office door through which he had entered, then back to Vince. "Even if I have no clue in hell as to why I'm being told to do so in the first place."

"Call Shane. Fix this before I am forced into doing something I don't want to do, Paul."

"Fine." Paul grumbled as he walked out of Vince's office, letting the door close with a resounding thud.