Hey look, I'm back!!! Sowwy I've been away so long, but finals and my thesis took priority. So, they're over, school shall be in a few days, and SUMMER will begin!!! Anyways, ya'll know the drill. Read it, then review it.

Yadda yadda yadda . . . the WWF doesn't belong to me, since my name doesn't happen to end in McMahon. *sigh* Don't sue me, you're not gonna get anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't you love farce? My fault, I fear

I thought that you'd want what I want

Sorry, my dear . . .

And where are the clowns??

Send in the clowns . . .

Don't bother . . . they're here

Stephanie woke up, head pounding and body aching beyond any bump she'd ever taken. She blinked, then looked around and out the open window, disoriented at first. Where was she? What was she doing here? She vaguely recalled Hunter beating her again, angry she was trying to protect a baby he believed was a lie. Then she didn't remember anything, except for the sound of Taker's voice, talking to . . . her father?? That was crazy!!! Her father didn't care about her!!! He just pretended to be a nice guy and walk her down the aisle so he could justify being so horrible to her earlier, when the Alliance lost at Survivor Series.

She tried to move her leg and attempt at getting up, but a wave of pain shot through her, up her leg and through her lower abdomen. She bit back a scream. Why was it so hard to get up?? She felt dizzy, the window on one side of the bed swirling in circles. She tried to sit up again, but the pain washed over her again . . . and this time elicited a shriek from Steph.

In his chair beside the hospital bed, Shane McMahon sat bolt upright. "What the . . . Stephy!! You're awake!!" He reached over and brushed back a strand of his sister's hair.

"Obviously." Came her bemused reply, and Shane stifled a laugh. Stephanie smiled and caught his fingers in her own, squeezing his hand gently. "Hey, Shane-O . . . what're you doing here??"

"I can't come and see my favorite sister in the hospital??"

She shook her head. "I'm your only sister. And of course you can, but what if Daddy sees you??", she asked.

He laughed. "Dad's the one who called me up here . . . well, technically it was Edge. But Dad met me outside when I got here . . . and he apologized. It's okay, Steph . . . we're not mad at each other anymore."

She sighed in relief. Finally her thickheaded brother and stubborn father had reconciled!!! It took her being in the hospital to do it . . . but they had. She tried to sit up, slowly at first, but celebrating in triumph when she made it into a sitting position. "Shane . . . what am I doing here?? I mean, I know Hunter hurt me pretty bad, but they normally don't put abused women in the post-natal ward. Unless it's because of the baby . . ."

He met her eyes in disbelief. "You mean you don't know what happened after Hunter hurt you?" She shook her head negatively.

"No. All I remember is Hunter hitting and kicking me. Then I blacked out, but I remember Daddy's voice, talking to Taker . . . and then I woke up here. Should I remember??"

He sat back in his chair, and let out a long breath. He couldn't believe that she couldn't remember!!! Oh God . . . he couldn't be the one to tell her . . . but he had to be. He was family, and she deserved to be told by family, and not by some doctor. Stephanie was his baby sister, and so he needed to play the protective older brother once again. Her voice startled him out of his thoughts.

"Shane . . . whatever it is, please . . . just tell me."

He rose out of the chair, and took a seat on the bed. He reached out and took her hands in his own. "Steph . . . the reason you're still here in the hospital . . . the reason you're in the post-natal ward, and the reason you're in so much pain is that . . . you had a miscarriage."

Stephanie sat there with silent tears running down her face. She gulped, and tried to speak. "I'm . . . I'm not going to have a baby??"

Shane shook his head, tears now running down his face too. "I'm so sorry, baby." He held out his arms for an embrace, and she dove in, holding him tightly. He stroked her hair, praying that she could recover from this. He knew how much his sister wanted to be a mom, and he'd actually been ecstatic at the prospect of becoming an uncle. Why did this have to happen to his baby sister, of all people??? Stephanie deserved far more than a guy like Hunter. If Shane ever got his hands on Hunter . . . well, there wouldn't be all that much left . . .

Stephanie laid her head on Shane's chest, sobbing her heart out. *I wanted to be a mom!! I would've been a great mom, and Shane would be the best uncle in the world. But because of Hunter . . . now I'm not?? It's not fair!!* His arms tightened around her, and she wished she could stay this way forever: safe in her brother's arms.

_________________________________________________________________