Author: Alliegirl4life

Title: I've Lost My Smile

Characters: Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and mentions of others

Warnings: Slash mentioned from now on, viewer discretion is advised.

Pairing: Shawn/Bret

Disclaimer: Don't own them, nor do I claim to know them.

Enjoy!

Part 13 of I've Lost My Smile

After the show had ended, Bret collected his wrestling gear and headed toward Shawn's locker room. If only what his brother had told him earlier was not the truth. If only Shawn hadn't said those things that he had said, maybe Bret would be able to handle his feelings as well as his confusion in a reasonable manner. However, with the evidence proving Bret's initial suspicions correct, there was no going back to the way things had been before. He had to confront Shawn and he had to do it now. It was the only way, in Bret's opinion, that he'd be able to get any ounce of the truth out of the Heart Break Kid.

It was around that time that he arrived to Shawn's locker room door. If only things didn't have to be this way. He loved Shawn, he really did; but with way things seemed to be heading, he felt he had no other choice. Hesitantly, he knocked on the door, and waited for Shawn to answer.

God, he hoped he was doing the right thing-confronting Shawn like this. He scanned his surroundings to make sure the coast was clear before pulling the tape recorder out of his pocket. Why did Shawn have to say those things? To please that asshole who some called Hunter Hearst Hemsley? If that was the explanation he was to be given, then the previous week would be all for absolutely nothing. Glaring down at the tape recorder in his hand, he lacked to notice the door opening.

"Bret? Come on in, I'm almost ready to go." Shawn greeted before opening the door completely; allowing the Hit Man to enter.

"Okay," Bret managed to say as he walked through the doorway, "what time is it, by the way?" Shawn glimpsed down at his watch and answered.

"Eleven, why? We still have plenty of time-no need to rush." Shawn replied suddenly. Then he glanced down at what Bret was holding in his hand, and felt his blood run cold; that couldn't be what he thought it was, could it? He had made absolutely certain that nobody was listening to him and Hunter earlier, absolutely certain! Cautiously, he asked the question he found himself wondering. "Bret, what is that you have in your hand?"

Instead of answering, however, Bret continued to stand there in silence. He knew Shawn had probably figured it out by now. He had only hoped that he would be able to recover after what he was about to do. Though he had felt frustrated earlier, his feelings had since changed. Why that was, Bret wasn't quite sure, but he was certain of one thing now: Shawn was going to tell him the honest truth, one way or the other.

"….Bret?" Recognizing the fact Shawn was still addressing him, Bret finally decided to answer him.

"Shawn, can I ask you something, and have you be completely honest with me in return? Or are you going to lie again?" To this, Shawn looked away for a brief moment and grabbed his boots; his reaction in itself was enough to tell Bret the answer. No words were necessary. Nonetheless, however, he remained silent and waited for Shawn to answer his question.

"Bret, what are you talking about? I haven't lied to you yet! Where are you going with this, and for Heaven's sake, just tell me what that is you're holding!" Well, since he had put it that way, Bret found it a little easier to confront him face-to-face.

"This, Shawn, is a tape recording of your conversation with Hunter from earlier! Need a reminder? Well, here it is for you!" Abruptly, he pressed the 'play' button and let the evidence presented on the cassette tape speak for itself.

"Shawn-this is just an act right? You don't really have feelings for the guy." "Ok, good, keep it that way. Now, I just bumped into Bret a few minutes ago, and he said that he had heard our conversation on the phone the other night-mind telling me how he found out it was me?"

"Hunter, I can explain, really-he must have been awake when I was talking to you-and well, he had the volume on high in the phone's speaker for a reason I suppose… So, what all did he say?"

"He told me that if I came near you, that he would have to deal with me PERSONALLY. You believe that? This guy actually thinks you are in love with him or something! How sad is that? Hell, the trick you've pulled, is the oldest trick in the book-what AN IDIOT!"

Bret suddenly stopped the tape and replaced the recorder back into his pocket. The look on Shawn's face was all Bret needed for confirmation. Unfortunately, the evidence indeed spoke for itself. Feeling hurt and frustrated at the same time, Bret glared at the Heart Break Kid not knowing what to say; though he wished he could have said what was on his mind.

Bret's POV-

If only he realized how much I'm hurting inside right now. Even though it's only been a week, I have to say that I've fallen in love with him-and yet how does he thank me? How does he show his appreciation? By manipulating me just for that stupid title belt that he cares so much about. That's how! God, I feel like so used, so, how do I say it? So betrayed! How could he do something like this to me? After this past week, and me saving his life, this is how he thanks me? Well damn him! Damn him to hell-that's what I say! I should have listened to my brother, why hadn't I? I bet that if I had, I wouldn't be in this horrible mess that I'm in right now. Look at him. Looking down at the floor like that-yea, he knows what he's doing is wrong; but still-that's no damn excuse for what he's done. I love this business, but as the previous five days have proven to me, I love him even more. And throughout that entire time, I kept wondering if he had felt the same way for me as I did for him-well, I guess I know now, don't I?

"But Bret….I, I can explain, really." He tells me. Yea, I'll be willing to believe that when the world has come to its end! How many times have I heard this before?

"Explain? Explain what?" I finally ask him. "Shawn, there IS nothing to explain. This tape explains everything! Shawn, how could you do this to me?" I stand there in silence as he attempts to explain himself; but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe any of it. After much hesitation, I tell him what's really on my mind. He at least hast the right to know how I feel. "Shawn, though we've hated each other for the past several years, this past week has been enough to make me feel otherwise towards you-I was actually beginning to think that you were someone that I could trust, someone that I could care for and love for the rest of my life; but I suppose I was wrong. Turns out, I think my brother was right after all-you are nothing but a man whore! All you do is fuck with people and their emotions, and the more I think about it, the more I come to the realization that you don't seem to care about anybody else but yourself! Isn't that right, Shawn? And how the hell do you think I feel? Huh?" I wait for him to answer, but all I get is silence; and at this point, silence is all I need to hear to justify my reaction. I'm sick and tired of being manipulated-Shawn needs to learn his place! He needs to know what he has done to me. If that means hurting him and his feelings, then so be it! As much as it hurts me to see him standing there with tears falling freely down his cheeks, I feel as though I have to get this off of my chest. After I finish saying what I need to say, he finally speaks for the first time since I had presented the evidence to him.

"Is that how you really feel, Bret? You think that I'm a whore? Is that what you think?"

I stare at him as I mutter the answer I know he doesn't want to hear-but it's the truth. "Yes, I do. What you said in this recording, and what you've been doing to me behind my back proves it. If you think you're hurting inside, you should just try to imagine the pain I'm experiencing right now! I loved you, Shawn. You hear me? I loved you. I'm not like those other guys who just use you-I really thought we had something. Proves me wrong, doesn't it?"

"Bret, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're sorry? Shawn, sorry isn't going to cut it with me this time; because as we both know, you're not sorry! In fact, you're far from it as far as I am concerned. All you care about," I said as I walked up to him and tapped on the belt wrapped around his shoulder, "is this damn title. That's it! As long as you can carry this around with you wherever you go, you'll be the happiest person on the face of this earth! What about me, Shawn?" I asked him, walking toward the door.

"Bret-wait, really…..please, don't go." He pleads with me one last time, but I refuse to listen to him. I'm just too pissed off to care anymore. I then walk out the door, making sure to close it behind me on the way out.

Shawn's POV-

So I guess that was good-bye. I suppose he's not coming back to the hotel with me after all. I wipe the tears away as I continue to sit there on the bench in deep thought. God, why does this always happen to me? My reputation has cursed me, I swear! What have I done? I didn't know what else to do-if I was to refuse going along with Hunter it would be the end of my career. Hell, that guy has so much damn power in this company it's almost sickening! Hunter can be very manipulative and controlling when he wants to be-and unfortunately for me, I've had to experience it all first-hand. If only Bret would take the time to understand my side of the story. I lace my shoes and tug at my jeans before picking my bags up off of the floor as I continue to ponder over what had just occurred. How could this have happened? I was only doing what was expected of me.

Okay, so maybe betraying him wasn't what I was asked to do, and maybe falling for him wasn't apart of the plan-but I need to keep my word with Hunter. I still love him too, you know? But…damn! What have I done?

I look down at my watch and realize its past midnight. Almost everyone has gone back to the hotel-leaving me here to deal with the emotional guilt that I'm now feeling. How could anybody care about a slut like me? After all, that's all I am anymore, right? A damn slut, who only wants a piece and nothing else. Damn Hunter, damn everyone! Hell, if Bret doesn't love me anymore, then who the hell would? And that is when I hear it, the quiet, eerie laugh coming from around the corner.

The laughter was coming from none other than Hunter himself-and I'll be damned if I am not about to give him a piece of my mind!

To Be Continued?

A/N: Wow, it has been a while, hasn't it? Well, let me know what you think of this story so far; and thanks for reading.