sd Tainted
Some Loves are never forgotten

Stephanie...

I had been in my hospital bed when the whole thing happened... I was watching tv, and I turned it on channel 12 and proceeded to watch "Smackdown", hell I didn't have anything else to do. The Rikishi/Big show match just had gotten over with... Big Show had gotten another stinky face by Rikishi, yes it was quite entertaining.

Well anyways, the next match was starting, Hunter's theme came on and he walked down the titatron with Stephanie in tow. Stephanie was wearing her usual skimpy clothes and all that make-up, I had almost changed it, I hate seeing Stephanie like that. I try to remember her as my sweet and innocent little sister, but not the spoiled brat she is now. Well anyways, they got in the ring, the minute they got in the ring... I saw something different about Steph, she looked so incredibly tired.

She looked so tired, and so miserable. I had always been able to read Steph like an open book, but this was horrible, she didn't even look like my little sister, and when she smiled it was even worse, because the smile was so fake. She slid out of the ring and a few seconds later Test came out.

My eyes continued to concentrate on Stephanie though, I hate what Hunter is doing to her. She used to be so pure and full of life and he took all of that out of her, and this is what he left of her. I hate it! I hate that she is no longer my "Stephy", I hate that Stephanie sides with my dad. Me and Stephanie were at one time the closest of siblings, we were exactly like one another, but things are so different now.

Me and Stephanie are never close anymore, we just keep throwing the insults at one another, we keep betraying one another... and it all started with my betrayal. I started this war, I started it by helping The Undertaker... I don't even want to go back there... but this is all my fault.

I watch Test and Hunter fighting, I see Steph jump onto the edge of the ring and start screaming at the referee... At first I thought she was trying to help Hunter win but then I noticed that after Hunter got up, she continued screaming. I watched Hunter drop his sledgehammer and stare at Stephanie, and then everything on the screen happened so fast. Test got up and Hunter tried to hit him, and then Test ducked, and then Hunter threw Test into the ropes...

And then it happened...

Stephanie who had been on the edge of the ring, screamed and was thrown down to the ground when Test's body plowed into the ropes; I sat up in my hospital bed when I seen Steph hit her head on the edge of the metal stairs. It had been horrible, her body had automatically fallen limp once her head hit the stairs, I think I had somewhere along seeing Steph hit her head and collasping, screamed.

Even though me and Stephanie haven't been on best terms, she is still my little sister and seeing this made what I already knew painfully obvious.

Stephanie was in too deep.

Not just with Hunter, not just with dad, but with everything, including Test. I have always liked Test and still do in fact, but tonight Test and Hunter made THEIR fight into MY fight. I've had seen Stephanie hurt too many times in matches because of the men she was personal with, example all the Kurt and Hunter fights.

Stephanie is in too deep with Hunter and I am now officially worried for Stephanie's safety. Stephanie doesn't know what she is getting herself into, and here is my big brother instincts kicking in. Stephanie may act like she's this independant person but she's not, deep down she's still a little girl, she still wants someone to wrap their arms around her and protect her from all the bad stuff in life.

That is why Stephanie was always a daddy's little girl, because dad treated her like a piece of glass, dad was always worried that Stephanie was going to break. Whenever Stephanie would get hurt or someone would hurt her feelings, dad would be there to make everything good again and Stephanie loved that.

"Nurse! Nurse!"

My voice is at an all time high, I have to get out of here... that is all that enters my mind right now. I have to get to Stephanie... although I should stay here, my body is still pounding with pain from that 50 foot drop at Backlash. Last time I ever listen to Test on something like that, but back on the subject... I have TO go! She's my sister! Although we haven't called each other brother and sister for a long time, she is still my sister, and I have to be there for her.

Why? When you were injured at Backlash, she wasn't there for you. Oh no she wasn't, she daddy's little girl... not Shane's little sister.... she's different and you need to recogonize that.

There it goes again, just for futher notice, that's the voice in the back of my head, it constantly tells me to just give up on Stephanie. I mean why am I even trying? Steph, the old Steph, she's long gone. She's been replaced by this spoiled "Daddy's Little Girl", she would never betray dad, me and Stephanie are in two different worlds... we're walking down two different paths...

But what I can't help to think is... what if Steph's path and my path somehow end up going to the same place? Maybe Steph getting hurt on "Smackdown", is just leading us back together...

Yeah I know, total bullshit. But hey like Test said to me the other day, I have always been the sappy one out of me and Stephanie.

"Yes Mr. McMahon?"
Nurse Williams enters the room and flashes me a smile, nice lady she is, she's probably around 35, reddest hair I have ever seen, it's like looking into a blazing fire... Although that has NOTHING to do with Stephanie, I just let my observation take over sometimes... okay going back to the subject at matter... Stephanie.

"I have to go---"
I push myself out of bed, ignoring the extreme pain throbbing throughout my whole body, I start throwing my stuff in my duffel bag and in the background I can hear Nurse Williams asking, no pleading for me to just sit back down.
"I have to leave, I have to go to the smackdown arena, my sister, she's hurt."
There's an odd silence, and now I remember me and Nurse Williams's late night talking sessions, and how I would blab on about how much I wanted my old little sister back; I turn to Nurse Williams and give her a look and she just nods, motioning for me to leave, with that silent sign I limp out of the hospital.

My car is in the hospital parking lot, it's just coming back to me... Test had drove me to the hospital in my car, he must have left it here. I stop in front of my car, I fumble for my car keys, my hands are shaking like crazy. This is too surreal, having a little sister isn't easy... for one she always bothers to hang out with you, for second she's not as cool and tough as a brother (although Stephanie is one tough girl) but the worst part of having a little sister, is the pain, the horrible and unbearable pain you get when you see she's hurt. It's like one minute she's this annoying thorn in your side but then the next BAM she's the closest thing you got to heaven. Closing my eyes, I can see the whole thing replay, and everytime I see Steph fall off the ring and plow into that stair, the more it hurts. Because the part no one tells you when you're officially a big brother is... that her pain is your pain... she can be in tons of pain but it hits 3 times harder on your side. I open my eyes and unlock the car door, I jump inside my car and speed off.

Steph...Steph...Steph...

I have to get to Stephanie before it's too late, I have to be by her side, I just have to be there for her. I pull into the parking lot and jump out of the car, right now I don't even bother to turn the car off, right now it's all about me getting to Stephanie and making sure she's okay.

"Yo Shane -O- Mac!"
"Hey dude!"

Christian and Edge smile at me once I enter "Smackdown", I nod at them and continue running down the hall, usually Christian and Edge are a comic relief, real funny guys they are, but right now NOTHING else matters. The feeling that is coursing through my body is all new to me, I've never felt it before...

It's pure concern for Stephanie. I've never felt this horrified and petrified for her safety before, maybe because before I was the billion dollar prince, that greed and power got to me and nothing else mattered... but I'm not the billion dollar prince anymore... I'm just Shane, finally I'm just me. And now without all the greed and power and money it hits me how powerful the bond between me and Stephanie is, how much I really do love her.

I run down the titatron, not even waiting for my theme music to come on, I look to my left and right, frantically searching for Stephanie.

"Shane what are you doing here?"
It's Test, I look up and glare at Test but for only a few seconds, I can't even concentrate on feeling mad at one of the two men that hurt Stephanie, I'm just too damn scared for her.
"Where's Stephanie?"
Test is now grabbing my arm.
"Shane, you should be in the hospital..."
I push Test back, I know Test is just looking out for my well being and all, but damnit, I SO don't need this. I'm Shane -O- Mac, I'm a McMahon... I heal.
"Damn it Test! Where is she? Where's Stephanie?"
Test sighs and points over to where a group of referees are still trying to push Steph awake, I run over there, throwing a warning glance at Test and Hunter.

"Steph? Stephanie?"
I kneel down next to Stephanie's motionless body, my eyes are dark with concern. Can she hear me?
"Stephanie?"
My voice is a bit shaky, seeing her get hurt on "Smackdown" had been bad enough, but seeing it in front of me is even worse. Stephanie's face looks so innocent, she looks like she did 2 years ago, I bring my hand down to brush her hair out of her face, pushing her hair back, Stephanie's natural beauty starts shining briliantly. I can feel everyone's gazes on me, but right now it doesn't matter, because right now in front of me is my "Stephy", she's back, even if it won't be a long time, she's back. I lean over and plant a kiss on Stephanie's forehead, as I remove my lips from Stephanie's forehead I look up at the two men who right now are my two worst enemies.

Test and Hunter.

They are both only standing a few feet away from me and Stephanie, I push myself up slowly and grab a microphone; I hold onto the microphone as I pace back and forth in front of Hunter and Test, not daring to say a word yet. Test and Hunter are standing next to each other, staring at me, awaiting my words. I let the silence cut into them, they don't deserve anything more, I look into the microphone for a long time but then I finally let the words escape my lips.

"You two..."
I stop and point to Test and Hunter who just stare back at me.
"Made your personal fight, into my fight, because tonight you hurt my little sister. You hurt one of the most important people to me."
I take in a deep breath, shaking my head.
"I swear! You two are so incredibly stupid!"
Hunter and Test just stared at each other and then back at me.
"You Hunter are destroying Stephanie, you're taking everything out of her, you make her into the bitch! I sat back for two years and watched you take away her humanity bit by bit, but tonight I'm here to say enough is enough!"
I shake my head when Test smirks.
"And you're no different Test!"
Test looks back at me shocked.
"Yeah you Test. You let your stupid pride and pain stand in the way of seeing how Stephanie was reaching out to you! Damn it Test! You're just as bad, Hunter may be doing the pain... but you're worse because you did nothing to help the woman you once said you loved with all your heart! You two can't possibly love Steph, because both of you are too damn concerned about each other, how could you love Steph when you're too busy loving one another?"

I walked over to Stephanie and picked her up, I cradeled her limp bodies in my arms as I slowly walked up the titatron, leaving the two idiots behind, I stopped briefly and turned around and stared at Hunter and Test.

"Love is a gift, you have to prove you are worthy of it, but neither of you are worthy for Steph's love."
I dropped the microphone and finished walked up the titraton and disappeared backstage, heading to the hospital.

NEXT IN THE 'TAINTED' SERIES:

Vince and Shane bump heads on who and what is best for Stephanie, meanwhile Stephanie makes a choice that will not only affect her family but the McMahon-Helmsley era.

Stephanie gets advice from a close friend.

Test and Hunter bump heads, on what happened in the past.