A/N - This one is for Jess again since she's always asking for it lol. As always your thoughts are appreciated.

The corridors of the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas were shunned into silence at the sight of the slightly haggard looking man currently walking through them. Paul ignored the sideways glances and hushed whispers. Clearly nobody in the WWE knew how to be subtle. They were all looking at him like he had five heads. No doubt most of them were relishing in his current marital problems. It was no secret that the 'golden couple' had lost their child. Neither of them had been on the road for over almost two months after it happened. Until now. He kept his eyes focused in front of him, not showing any signs of weakness. He didn't want anybody to see how utterly broken he was inside. He had lost his child and with every day that passed he just knew that he was losing his wife too and it ripped him apart. He shook his head absently and continued down the hall, finally coming to a stop at the gorilla position. Everybody kept about their business until he was spotted by one of the runners. Suddenly practically all of them turned at the same time and looked at him with that same fucking expression on their face; pity. He fucking hated it.

"Paul! What a nice surprise. What are you doing here, son?" Vince McMahon asked, genuinely surprised to see his son-in-law standing before him. The hushed atmosphere that had engulfed the small group of people surrounding him didn't go unnoticed and he quickly walked towards the younger man, pulling him into a brief hug.

"I just…..thought I'd see if you needed me for the show or something," Paul replied, immediately feeling stupid. As if he was going to fly all the way to fucking Texas to see if they needed help. From the look on his father-in-law's face he could tell that he wasn't buying it.

Vince handed the stack of papers in his hand over to Pat Patterson. "I'll be back in a few. Make sure Jericho knows what he's got to do later, alright?" He muttered before walking over to Paul and leading him away from prying eyes. "Come on." They walked to a nearby empty locker room and Vince shut the door. "So, you want to tell me what this is really about?"

Paul let out a shaky breath and looked the other man dead in the eye. He could hardly tell him that his daughter was being a selfish, uncaring bitch could he? Even though it's exactly how he felt. "I needed to get out of the house. It's driving me crazy, Vince. I can't be there anymore, not when she's being like this."

"Damn," Vince muttered, letting out a sigh of his own. He thought that maybe things would have slowly started to get better between them. "I take it Stephanie hasn't eased up at all?" The sarcastic snort he received in response told him all he needed to know.

"She still isn't talking to me. She practically lives in our room and only comes out to eat or drink. Every time I see her it's like she's wasting away. I feel like she has just given up," Paul replied honestly. He scratched as his bearded neck for a moment. "After you guys left the other day she slapped me you know. Ever since I don't even think she's looked at me once."

Vince couldn't believe what he was hearing. Before all this had happened Paul and Stephanie had pretty much been the perfect couple. He knew in his heart that he had made the right decision by letting them date. Paul was a good man and treated his daughter like a queen. That's why it was breaking his heart to see them slowly coming apart in front of his very eyes. He knew it had to be killing Paul too. And his daughter even if she wasn't showing it. If she would just open up and talk about things then maybe this wouldn't be happening right now. "You just have to give it time, Paul. She'll….."

"Time?" Paul suddenly snapped. "I've given her time. I've given her space, I've given her my love and support, I've given her everything and it's never enough. I just don't fucking understand how she can shut me out like this," he said in clear anger.

"I know that but….people deal with grief in their own ways, Paul. This is hers," Vince tried to reason but his son-in-law was having none of it.

Paul shook his head. "No. This isn't dealing with grief, Vince. I don't know what the fuck it is but it isn't dealing with it." He paused and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. This isn't what he came here for. He came to get away from the shit had to deal with at home, not talk about it some more. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Is there anything I can do tonight? Please? I just want something to take my mind off things. If I think about this mess any longer I'm going to crazy."

"I completely understand," Vince said, his eyes sympathetic. He threw his arm around Paul's shoulders and led him out of the room. "I'm sure we can find something for you to do," he teased and actually drew a small chuckle.

"Anything, Vince. I don't even care if you have me get the coffee."

"That can be arranged you know!"

Paul couldn't help but smile as he worked with the ring crew to take apart the ring and RAW stage. It had been a while since he had done this. But it kept his head focused and gave him the chance to speak to a few of the guys along the way. The ring crew were most times forgotten when it came to the business but without them there would be no ring for people like him to wrestle in.

"You still out here causing trouble?"

With a smile, he turned around and came face to face with his best friend, Shawn Michaels. They had caught up throughout the show and were planning on heading for a drink in the hotel bar now that it was over. Well, Shawn was. Paul would settle for an ice water although if there was ever a time for a drink, this would be it. "Who says I'm causing trouble, huh? I'm actually being extremely helpful."

"That's what you think," Shawn muttered with a smirk. "Come on. I'm sure these guys can handle the rest without ya."

"See you guys!" Paul called over his shoulder as they headed up the partially deconstructed ramp and to the back. They stopped off to grab Shawn's bags and in under an hour were walking into the hotel bar. Spotting a group of WWE guys huddled around a long table, they made their way towards them and pulled over some chairs.

"Mind if we squeeze in?" Shawn asked with a smile on his face. The table was surrounded by William Regal, Paul Wight, Arn Anderson, John Cena, Mike Rotunda, Jay Reso and Mike Chioda. The guys smiled and offered their greetings as Paul and Shawn sat down.

"Well would you look at this? DX is alive and well once again!" Cena teased. He had seen the pity party thrown Paul's way all day and felt the need to lighten the mood. Everybody knew what was going on in his personal life. It didn't mean that they had the right to pry and treat him like a damn leper though.

Paul managed a small smile. "You know I've only got one response to that, right?"

"And it's only two words long, mind you," Shawn piped in, pulling a chuckle from everybody as he held up two fingers.

"Yeah, yeah!" Cena drawled before motioning to the bar. "What are you having, Shawn? I take it you just want a water, right Hunter?"

"Water's good, man. Thanks," Paul smiled, relaxing into his chair. This is exactly what he needed, a chance to just chill out with friends and not have to worry about getting interrogated over his current situation.

Around two hours later and the bar was a lot more full. Their table had expanded by a few people here and there while the table opposite them was also full of WWE personnel albeit the other table was a lot more rowdy. The rest of the bar was made up of hotel residents and fans who had obviously found out where they were staying tonight. Paul sipped at his water and nodded politely at the blonde woman who had practically not taken her eyes off him from the second she walked in the bar. He shook his head and let out an amused snort. She was actually rather pretty. Back in his ring rat days they would have been in his room and he'd have fucked her five ways to Sunday already. Now the thought didn't even cross his mind. Although he had monumental sized marriage problems, he would never cheat on Stephanie. Not in a million years nor if somebody had a gun to his head. He just wouldn't do it. He loved her too much to hurt her like that. "Shit," her muttered under his breath. There he was thinking about her again. It amazed him how she was able to creep into his every thought no matter what it was. His eyes dropped to his glass and focused on a large piece of ice as it swirled around. She should be here with him now. Actually, they should be back in their room getting up to no good instead of being miles apart both physically and emotionally. Great, he'd gone and done it now. He couldn't stay here. Not when he legitimately felt like he could cry. He was just about to call it a night when he felt a tentative hand on his shoulder. He turned to see blondie standing there with a female friend. Up close he could see that she was slightly older than he originally thought. "Can I help you?"

"You're Triple H, right?" the woman asked, her eyes practically undressing him.

Paul managed a small smile and nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm Triple H." He felt the back of his neck grow hot with the eyes of everybody at the table on him right now. No doubt they were all loving this.

"I'm Carrie," the woman said, sticking out her hand. "And this is my friend Lorna." She delighted when he shook her hand and made sure to keep hold of him a little longer than necessary.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Carrie and Lorna," Paul said politely. He moved to turn back to the table when he felt her hand on his shoulder again.

Carrie gave her best seductive pout and trailed her finger along his arm. "I was thinking that maybe you and I could head back to my room, somewhere a little more private?"

Paul could hear the snickers and mumbles from the guys behind him. God damn this woman was brazen. She was literally throwing herself at him in front of a table full of people. Shrugging her hand off his arm, he shook his head and smiled apologetically. "I'm flattered, really but ahhhhh, I'm a married man." He held up his left hand and wiggled it about, the shiny band on his ring finger sparkling in the dim light. He saw her face drop as she consulted her friend about…..something before turning to look at him again.

"My boyfriend told me that you were getting a divorce! He said that you were getting a divorce!" she cried angrily, clearly not happy that she was getting rejected.

"Your boyfriend?" Paul asked incredulously. Had she no shame? "Listen lady, I don't know what you've heard but you aren't getting anything from me tonight so move along."

The chuckles from the other wrestlers at the table and the sheer embarrassment of the situation forced her to turn in a huff and stalk back to her table. Just what the fuck had Bryan been up to telling her that? Maybe he wanted her to make a fool out of herself. She only wished that the fucker was there so he could have seen her up there talking to Triple H. He had practically dumped her about a half hour ago and she wanted revenge. What better way than to tell him that she fucked a top wrestler last night and not just any one, one that he hated? Bryan was a huge wrestling fan and spent half his day on the internet reading about God knows what. She didn't know why but she just knew that he hated Triple H with a passion. She was about to order a new drink when she saw him stumble back into the bar with his two idiot friends. He instantly made for their table and she felt her anger bubble to the surface.

"Fucking hell man! Has she no shame?" John Cena asked, breaking the partial stunned silence at the table.

William Regal shook his head in disgust. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"Me too," Paul half-chuckled, trying to laugh it off. "I was just about to call it a night before she came. I think I'm definitely calling it a night now."

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Paul turned in his seat along with practically every WWE person in the bar to see an irate man flanked by two other guys glaring at him. His face screwed up in confusion as he looked at the guy. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me you dick! What the fuck do you think you're doing? Trying to hit on my girl?" the man asked again all the while trying to shove Carrie off him.

"Stop it Bryan! Stop it!" she cried helplessly.

Quickly connecting the dots, Paul realized exactly what was happening and let out a small laugh of disbelief as he turned fully in his seat.

"You fucking think this is funny! I knew you'd be a fucking piece of shit, just like every other fan that's ever met you has said. I just didn't know you went around hitting on other men's women," Bryan fumed, getting angrier by the second.

"Listen asshole," Paul said seriously, ignoring the calls of Shawn to calm down. "You better walk yourself away from this table before I knock you on your ass."

Two huge men with Hotel Security marked on their shirts started making their way to what had now turned into a full blown confrontation. But they were too late to prevent what happened next.

"Just because you can't keep Stephanie happy and she wants to divorce your sorry ass doesn't mean you….."

Paul instantly leapt to his feet and was about to smack the guy right in the face when he was quickly pulled back by a barrage of arms from the guys at the table behind him. He tried to shrug them off and pushed forward as best he could. "Don't you dare fucking talk about my wife, you understand me?"

Bryan pulled back, almost in shock at the speed at which the other man leapt to his feet and the sheer venom in his words. He had pissed him off. A small smirk appeared on his face and he leaned forward, almost taunting the other man. "I'll say whatever I want."

"Shut your fucking mouth kid and shut it now," Shawn said, his eyes burning a hole right through Bryan. "This is no place for your bullshit."

"We have a problem here?" asked one of the chunky bouncers, looking at the scene in front of him.

"Yeah we have a problem," Bryan said confidently. There was no way anybody could touch him with the bouncers here. "This guy tried to hit on my girlfriend. He thinks that just because he's a wrestler he can do what he wants. It's not my fault everybody thinks he's a dick, including his bitch wife."

Those were the last words Bryan managed to get out for as soon as he said them, Paul's fist connected hard with his jaw sending him crashing back into his friends, all three falling onto the table behind them and to the floor. There was a brief moment where everybody stood looking at each other. Bryan moaned in pain on the floor holding the side of his face while Carrie hunched over him, repeatedly looking back and saying that she was sorry to the entire WWE table.

"Let go!" Paul yelled, shrugging the various hands off him and glaring at the man on the floor. He looked to the bouncers, simply waiting for them to step in and start hauling him away but they did nothing. After a moment or two, he glanced over his shoulder at the stunned and shocked faces of his friends and colleagues before turning and angrily marching out of the bar. What the fuck had just happened?