June 2002
"Damn," Chyna muttered to herself. She saw Hunter down the hall. He was kissing his girlfriend.
She turned around and headed the other direction. He was one person who should not be happy. Especially if she wasn't happy.
He had broken her heart. It had been almost three years since it had happened. She had tried to pretend like it didn't hurt when Hunter had married Stephanie McMahon. She had tried to pretend like she didn't give a damn what he did.
Chris Jericho had helped her do that. First she hated him. He had tried to smash her damn hand. Then she fell for him. Their relationship had never been that serious, but it was fun. He made her laugh. He was sexy as hell.
Then she betrayed him. For Eddie Guerro. She still wondered what the hell she had been thinking about. Basically, Jericho had been a great guy, once you got past the macho-sexist exterior and became his friend. A shrink would probably have told her she was trying to protect herself from getting hurt again. She saw that she was getting too close to Jericho and didn't want him to stomp all over her heart like Hunter had. So she stomped all over his instead.
Eddie had been fun at first. He was so full of himself, but he also treated her like a prize. She had never had that before. Hunter had treated her like his best friend and like a desirable person. Eddie treated her like she was glass. Then he had gotten jealous. Very violently jealous.
Having Eddie become a jealous monster all of a sudden nearly broke her heart again. She was lucky she wasn't really in love with him, or she would have been utterly destroyed. All he really was was another guy. Something different, but not really right.
Billy Gunn had always been one of her closest friends. She had been lucky when he came back into her life. But most people thought more had gone on then actually had. A few dates and an agreement that they were better off as just friends was pretty much the start and end of that romantic relationship.
Now Hunter was finally happy. She couldn't believe he had actually arranged for Madison to get a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. She couldn't believe Madison still had the damned title. She had to admit she was impressed with Madison's style and endurance in the ring.
It still hurt to see Hunter happy while she was alone. If she could look deeper inside herself, she would admit it hurt that Hunter was happy without her.
"Hey Chyna!" someone called from down the hall. She turned and smiled, not really registering who was talking to her. She had to move on. It had been almost three years.
"Hunter?" Madison asked, looking up at him.
He had seen Chyna avoid him and Madison. He didn't understand what was up. "Yeah sweetie?" Hunter asked, kissing her gently again.
"You get to challenge Rocky tonight, right?" Madison asked.
"What?" Hunter asked.
"You just went to talk to Vince," Madison said, "is he letting you have a shot?"
"Oh yeah," Hunter said. "Yeah, he is."
"Can I come?" Madison asked. She knew he sometimes felt like it might be dangerous for her to be at ringside when he fought, but she loved to go and support him.
"Yeah, sure," Hunter said cautiously.
"Sweetie," Madison said, "I'm not Steph. I won't get hurt."
"I know," Hunter said. "But every time I think about you out there watching, I see her crumpled on the ground and then I see her unconscious in a hospital."
"It will stop," Madison said.
"I hope so," Hunter said.
"Madison!" Shane McMahon called from down the hall. "I need to talk to you real quick."
"Be right there," Madison called. "You go get changed while I go talk to his royal highness. See you in a few."
"Okay," Hunter said.
"What's up Shane-O?" Madison asked her cousin-in-law. Shane and Lita had been married in a small ceremony on the McMahon estate two weeks earlier.
"Ah, my favorite cousin," Shane said.
"Liar," Madison said.
"Alright, I don't have a favorite," Shane said. "Sit down."
Madison plopped unceremoniously into a chair and asked, "Okay, why the summons?"
"I want you to defend the IC against Chyna at Judgement Day," Shane said.
"Chyna?" Madison asked thoughtfully. "Well, it's been awhile since I've gotten my ass kicked."
"It won't be that bad," Shane said.
"I know," Madison said. "Actually it's Hunter I'm worried about, not me."
"Hunter?" Shane asked.
"Yeah," Madison said. "He won't admit it but he still has feelings for the Ninth Wonder of the World."
"Really?" Shane asked.
"Yeah, she's the only woman he's ever really loved Shane," Madison said.
"He seems to care an awful lot for you," Shane said.
"What Hunter and I have is different," Madison said. "We've both been hurt in the past and we both like to have fun. We care about each other and would give up a lot for each other. He's a great guy, and I could see myself falling in love with him, but I'm not."
"Break the poor guy's heart," Shane said.
"He knows," Madison said. "And I know he's not in love with me."
"You sound like you're afraid of love," Shane said. "I know from personal experience it's the greatest thing in the world."
"And I know from personal experience it can hurt like hell if the other person doesn't return the feeling," Madison said. "Love can be great, but it can be horrible too."
"Do you think he would go back to Chyna if she was still in love with him?" Shane asked.
"Yes," Madison said. "But he doesn't know that she still is."
"Madison, I just think you like to make sure all of your relationships are doomed from the beginning," Shane said. "With Christian, you knew Edge liked you too so you told him you couldn't stand to see them break up. With Jeff, well you knew he was perfect for your sister. And now you start seeing someone else who is perfect for someone else."
"It's my curse," Madison said. "But I'll keep him while I can."
"You do that," Shane said. "Alright, I'll put you in against Chyna."
"Do that," Madison said. "I'll catch you later Shane."
"Bye darling," Shane said. "If you see Lita, tell her to come talk to me please."
"Sure," Madison said.
Madison walked down the hall to Hunter's dressing room, greeting other Superstars. She knocked on the door before stepping in. "Damn you look good," Madison said to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"You do too," Hunter said.
"Thanks," Madison said. He kissed her hungrily. They fell onto the couch and both erupted in laughter.
"I have to finish getting ready," Hunter said, tracing the line of Madison's jaw.
"I know," Madison said, pushing him off the couch.
"What did Shane want?" Hunter asked as he went to wet his hair.
"Oh, I'm facing Chyna at Judgement Day," Madison said.
"Really?" Hunter asked, coming back out of his bathroom.
"Yeah," Madison said.
"She's so much bigger than you," Hunter said.
"I've face bigger sweetie," Madison said. "I use my size to my advantage."
"I know," Hunter said.
"So who will you root for?" Madison asked. She knew what he would say, but she wanted to reassure herself.
"You of course," Hunter said. "Chyna and I are in the past."
"You don't need to convince me," Madison said. "Especially since I know where you sleep."
"Very funny," Hunter said. "Alright. Let's head out."
Forty-five minutes later, Hunter collapsed on his couch. "It was a great match honey," Madison consoled him.
"I lost," Hunter said. "I want that damn belt."
"I know," Madison said. "Maybe you can get a shot at Judgement Day."
"Maybe," Hunter said. "But Jericho is gunning for the title, along with Taker and Austin."
"So you're the first among equals," Madison said.
"At least someone thinks so," Hunter said, pulling her into his lap.
"Honey, you're sweaty," Madison said.
"I guess you'll just have to take a shower," Hunter said, kissing her. "Later."
"Damn," Chyna muttered to herself. She saw Hunter down the hall. He was kissing his girlfriend.
She turned around and headed the other direction. He was one person who should not be happy. Especially if she wasn't happy.
He had broken her heart. It had been almost three years since it had happened. She had tried to pretend like it didn't hurt when Hunter had married Stephanie McMahon. She had tried to pretend like she didn't give a damn what he did.
Chris Jericho had helped her do that. First she hated him. He had tried to smash her damn hand. Then she fell for him. Their relationship had never been that serious, but it was fun. He made her laugh. He was sexy as hell.
Then she betrayed him. For Eddie Guerro. She still wondered what the hell she had been thinking about. Basically, Jericho had been a great guy, once you got past the macho-sexist exterior and became his friend. A shrink would probably have told her she was trying to protect herself from getting hurt again. She saw that she was getting too close to Jericho and didn't want him to stomp all over her heart like Hunter had. So she stomped all over his instead.
Eddie had been fun at first. He was so full of himself, but he also treated her like a prize. She had never had that before. Hunter had treated her like his best friend and like a desirable person. Eddie treated her like she was glass. Then he had gotten jealous. Very violently jealous.
Having Eddie become a jealous monster all of a sudden nearly broke her heart again. She was lucky she wasn't really in love with him, or she would have been utterly destroyed. All he really was was another guy. Something different, but not really right.
Billy Gunn had always been one of her closest friends. She had been lucky when he came back into her life. But most people thought more had gone on then actually had. A few dates and an agreement that they were better off as just friends was pretty much the start and end of that romantic relationship.
Now Hunter was finally happy. She couldn't believe he had actually arranged for Madison to get a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. She couldn't believe Madison still had the damned title. She had to admit she was impressed with Madison's style and endurance in the ring.
It still hurt to see Hunter happy while she was alone. If she could look deeper inside herself, she would admit it hurt that Hunter was happy without her.
"Hey Chyna!" someone called from down the hall. She turned and smiled, not really registering who was talking to her. She had to move on. It had been almost three years.
"Hunter?" Madison asked, looking up at him.
He had seen Chyna avoid him and Madison. He didn't understand what was up. "Yeah sweetie?" Hunter asked, kissing her gently again.
"You get to challenge Rocky tonight, right?" Madison asked.
"What?" Hunter asked.
"You just went to talk to Vince," Madison said, "is he letting you have a shot?"
"Oh yeah," Hunter said. "Yeah, he is."
"Can I come?" Madison asked. She knew he sometimes felt like it might be dangerous for her to be at ringside when he fought, but she loved to go and support him.
"Yeah, sure," Hunter said cautiously.
"Sweetie," Madison said, "I'm not Steph. I won't get hurt."
"I know," Hunter said. "But every time I think about you out there watching, I see her crumpled on the ground and then I see her unconscious in a hospital."
"It will stop," Madison said.
"I hope so," Hunter said.
"Madison!" Shane McMahon called from down the hall. "I need to talk to you real quick."
"Be right there," Madison called. "You go get changed while I go talk to his royal highness. See you in a few."
"Okay," Hunter said.
"What's up Shane-O?" Madison asked her cousin-in-law. Shane and Lita had been married in a small ceremony on the McMahon estate two weeks earlier.
"Ah, my favorite cousin," Shane said.
"Liar," Madison said.
"Alright, I don't have a favorite," Shane said. "Sit down."
Madison plopped unceremoniously into a chair and asked, "Okay, why the summons?"
"I want you to defend the IC against Chyna at Judgement Day," Shane said.
"Chyna?" Madison asked thoughtfully. "Well, it's been awhile since I've gotten my ass kicked."
"It won't be that bad," Shane said.
"I know," Madison said. "Actually it's Hunter I'm worried about, not me."
"Hunter?" Shane asked.
"Yeah," Madison said. "He won't admit it but he still has feelings for the Ninth Wonder of the World."
"Really?" Shane asked.
"Yeah, she's the only woman he's ever really loved Shane," Madison said.
"He seems to care an awful lot for you," Shane said.
"What Hunter and I have is different," Madison said. "We've both been hurt in the past and we both like to have fun. We care about each other and would give up a lot for each other. He's a great guy, and I could see myself falling in love with him, but I'm not."
"Break the poor guy's heart," Shane said.
"He knows," Madison said. "And I know he's not in love with me."
"You sound like you're afraid of love," Shane said. "I know from personal experience it's the greatest thing in the world."
"And I know from personal experience it can hurt like hell if the other person doesn't return the feeling," Madison said. "Love can be great, but it can be horrible too."
"Do you think he would go back to Chyna if she was still in love with him?" Shane asked.
"Yes," Madison said. "But he doesn't know that she still is."
"Madison, I just think you like to make sure all of your relationships are doomed from the beginning," Shane said. "With Christian, you knew Edge liked you too so you told him you couldn't stand to see them break up. With Jeff, well you knew he was perfect for your sister. And now you start seeing someone else who is perfect for someone else."
"It's my curse," Madison said. "But I'll keep him while I can."
"You do that," Shane said. "Alright, I'll put you in against Chyna."
"Do that," Madison said. "I'll catch you later Shane."
"Bye darling," Shane said. "If you see Lita, tell her to come talk to me please."
"Sure," Madison said.
Madison walked down the hall to Hunter's dressing room, greeting other Superstars. She knocked on the door before stepping in. "Damn you look good," Madison said to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"You do too," Hunter said.
"Thanks," Madison said. He kissed her hungrily. They fell onto the couch and both erupted in laughter.
"I have to finish getting ready," Hunter said, tracing the line of Madison's jaw.
"I know," Madison said, pushing him off the couch.
"What did Shane want?" Hunter asked as he went to wet his hair.
"Oh, I'm facing Chyna at Judgement Day," Madison said.
"Really?" Hunter asked, coming back out of his bathroom.
"Yeah," Madison said.
"She's so much bigger than you," Hunter said.
"I've face bigger sweetie," Madison said. "I use my size to my advantage."
"I know," Hunter said.
"So who will you root for?" Madison asked. She knew what he would say, but she wanted to reassure herself.
"You of course," Hunter said. "Chyna and I are in the past."
"You don't need to convince me," Madison said. "Especially since I know where you sleep."
"Very funny," Hunter said. "Alright. Let's head out."
Forty-five minutes later, Hunter collapsed on his couch. "It was a great match honey," Madison consoled him.
"I lost," Hunter said. "I want that damn belt."
"I know," Madison said. "Maybe you can get a shot at Judgement Day."
"Maybe," Hunter said. "But Jericho is gunning for the title, along with Taker and Austin."
"So you're the first among equals," Madison said.
"At least someone thinks so," Hunter said, pulling her into his lap.
"Honey, you're sweaty," Madison said.
"I guess you'll just have to take a shower," Hunter said, kissing her. "Later."
