Brie Bella lay on her couch reading a magazine. Her phone began to ring so she sighed and reached over to the table next to her and picked it up. The call was from a cell phone but it was not a number that she had saved. She considered ignoring it, wondering who could be calling from an unknown number on a Saturday evening. Eventually she answered the call and immediately regretted it, "Hello?"

"Brie, this is Stephanie McMahon."

Brie managed to resist saying either of the first two things that came to mind, neither of which were pleasant. She told herself to try to be polite, "Hello Stephanie, what can I do for you?"

There was no particular emotion in the reply but it was still intimidating, "What you can do for me is be in my office at nine am Monday morning."

Brie did not like where she thought this might be heading and she started to get annoyed, "It's Saturday night Stephanie and you're telling me to be in Stamford at nine am Monday? You do know we live in Arizona?"

"There's an invention you may have heard of. They have wings and jet engines, you get onboard and they take you to places. Now what are they called again?"

Brie felt herself about to boil over at Stephanie's sarcasm, "This is about Nikki isn't it? You're going to drag me across the whole country to read me the riot act about my sister."

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. Just be there."

Brie tried again to get out of it, "I'm supposed to be having dinner with my parents tomorrow."

"Then I guess you have a call to make." The call had been ended. Brie slammed her phone down onto the couch then went into the garage where she knew her husband was doing something to their car, "Daniel, I've got to get a flight tomorrow and be in McMahon's office at nine am Monday."

Daniel stopped what he was doing and wiped his greasy hands on his overalls, "What? Why does Vince need you that urgently?"

Brie closed her eyes in frustration, "You think I meant Vince? Really?"

Daniel finally caught on and sighed, "Christ Brie, I told you this would happen if you carried on being a bitch to Nikki."

Brie balled her hands into fists to try and keep her anger under control, "And I told you I'm not being a bitch. She made her choice to be a part of that family and not ours. I'm trying to force her to reconsider."

Daniel was now also getting annoyed, "I'm not having this argument with you again. You know what I think, you need to speak to Nikki and make things right." He turned away from his wife and resumed his work.

Brie stormed off and slammed the door behind her.

As she walked into Stephanie McMahon's outer office Brie took a quick look at her watch and saw that it was five minutes before nine. This caused a little smile, at least that was one thing Stephanie would not be able to bitch at her about. As she walked over to the Stephanie's secretary's desk she thought that of all the jobs in the world she would probably hate to do that one the most. She realised there was no sense in being rude, this woman had not done anything to Brie and in any case it would get back to Stephanie soon enough, "Good morning, I have an appointment with Stephanie at nine."

Lucy looked up with a smile, "Good morning Brie, Mrs. McMahon will be along shortly. You can take a seat in the office and I'll get some coffee."

Brie forced a smile despite her irritation. Of course Stephanie was not here at nine, she would make Brie wait for her. Brie walked into Stephanie's office and sat down. She looked around the huge office and it annoyed her further that she found it intimidating. She tried to calm herself as she knew that all of this was what Stephanie wanted to happen. She was determined not to let it get under her skin and cause her to say something stupid when Stephanie arrived.

Despite her best efforts Brie felt herself getting angry as she waited. She looked at her watch and saw that it was ten after nine. She was considering going back out to Stephanie's secretary and complaining when she heard the door close behind her. She heard soft footsteps coming across the room towards her and Stephanie's voice, "Sorry to keep you waiting Brie."

Brie resisted the temptation to say, "Bullshit." Instead she managed to force out, "No problem, it's only just past nine."

Stephanie sat down behind the desk and gave a smile that was not replicated in her eyes, "How was your flight?"

Brie wondered what it was about this woman that made her want to slap her every time she spoke but again she managed to sound something close to polite, "I had to fly yesterday but it wasn't too bad."

There was a tap on the door and Lucy walked in with coffee. She placed Stephanie's drink in front of her and got a small nod in response. She asked Brie, "How would you like it?"

Brie smiled, "I'll take it black with no sugar, thank you." Lucy poured and handed Brie her drink and left the office.

As the door closed Stephanie began, "This is a personal meeting Brie, so we can do away with the bullshit."

Brie leapt at the opportunity, "Is that so? Well then let's start with where you get off ordering me to fly across the country on a Sunday and messing up my whole weekend?"

Stephanie smiled sweetly, "I figured you've had a lot of free time recently."

Brie snapped, "This is how this is going to go? You got me in here to taunt me about being suspended?"

Stephanie sneered, "No Brie, we both know why you're here. Nikki told me what you've said to her and that you've talked your parents into breaking contact with her."

Brie spat, "You may be my boss but my family is not your concern."

"You're right and frankly I could care less about your family. The problem that you've got is that Nikki is now my family." Brie noticed how fiercely Stephanie's eyes burned into her own as she continued, "You're walking on thin ice Brie and you're doing it in spiked shoes."

Brie laughed mockingly, "That's what this is? You're threatening me that I need to make things right with Nikki?"

Stephanie leaned forward and growled, "That's where we're at with this? You want me to threaten you? Okay, how about this, If Nikki comes to me or my dad crying about something you've said or done again I'll make sure that you wish she hadn't."

Brie knew she had lost control of the conversation and Stephanie now had the advantage, "So either I speak to Nikki and we clear the air or you're going to do what?"

Stephanie leaned back in her chair, "Why don't you tell me what I'll do?"

Brie looked at her coldly as she considered it. After a few moments she replied, "I know how you think, I know how your mind works. You won't do anything to me directly. You'll probably hold Daniel back in his career and make him miserable."

Stephanie sipped her drink, "Or..."

The slyness in her voice made Brie gulp but he insisted, "You won't fire Daniel. He's one of the top guys here and he's worth too much money to the company."

Stephanie set her cup down on her desk and looked Brie in the eye, "Tell that to John Cena."

Brie was worried now, "Stephanie, Daniel is nothing to do with this."

Stephanie clicked her fingers, "Right, now you don't like it when innocent people get hurt by the fact that we hate each other. Now we're getting somewhere."

Brie knew she had said exactly what Stephanie had wanted her to say and admitted defeat, "Alright you miserable bitch, if you want me to speak to Nikki so badly I will."

Stephanie ignored the insult and replied, "I thought you would." After a pause she continued, "You know this could have all been so different, you could have been part of this family too."

Brie hoped she made her disgust obvious enough, "I can't think of anything I'd rather be less. You're the most repulsive person I've ever met and my sister being around you is a seriously bad idea."

Stephanie gave a small shrug, "Your opinion of me doesn't change my opinion of me. Get out and go find your sister. Lucy can give you directions to her office." As Brie got up Stephanie continued, "One more thing, this conversation gets forgotten as soon as you leave this room. You show up after your suspension with an attitude problem and I'll fire your ass on the spot."

"Yes boss," Brie spat as she stormed out of the office, deliberately leaving the door open. She approached Stephanie's secretary again and took a deep breath to compose herself before speaking, "Can you tell me where my sister's office is please?"

"Sure. Out in the hallway, left side, second closest to the elevator."

"Thanks," Brie stormed out into the hallway.