Disclaimer: first chapter

A/N: I'm working my way up to 7-29 RAW. Just be patient.

I woke up to the back of a sleeping Shawn. At some time during the night we had rolled into a spooning position with me on the outside. I was protecting him again. Even unconsciously. But against what this time? One time it had been a few friends of the Hart Foundation, then, on an occasion that still makes me laugh, an elderly woman that swore he was the death of all things holy. This time I shouldn't have to be doing this. Hunter never should have done this. Hurt Shawn. Heaven only knew that Shawn was already in pain from being so close to the ring and not being able to be in it. What's the pain of family turning on you? That's what they were, family. Me, Hunter, Shawn, Jesse, Billy, Pac, and sometimes Kevin and Scott.

Degeneration X is my family. Me, Hunter and Shawn were the founders, did that make us the parents? Hardly, I am the only one in that group that was capable of being the adult. Any wonder why they all call me Mama? Well, it was a sure thing that Jesse, Billy and Pac were the younger children. Oh man, sometimes I wanted to kill them. Especially the time that the Terrible Trio had decided to play Hide and Go Seek in New York City. I mean the entire city was the playing field and the lobby of the hotel we were in was home base. It took Hunter and me four hours to get them back.

Then there was Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. Those two had a friendship that would continue past the apocalypse. They had been friends with the guys far longer than I had known them. And once I had got to know them, well they became part of my screwed up little family. So that made them what, cousins? Yeah, my nephews at least. I will never forget the first time Kev called me Mom. The others had been doing it for some time, but I wasn't expecting it from him. I think it shocked him too. Then he had to go and ruin it by using me as an armrest. Damn him for being so tall anyway.

Shawn shifted beside me, waking up. "Good morning, Sunshine." I said to his back.

He turned to look at me. "Good morning is the biggest oxymoron there is in this world. There is never anything 'good' about mornings. Well, except when the hot chick, is still a hot chick after the alcohol has worn off."

I flopped over onto my back. "That's called oversharing Shawn. I didn't need to know."

He chuckled. A faint sound that was his calling card. You heard that laugh through the phone and you knew who was prank calling you. It was a dead giveaway.

"It's time."

Wordlessly, he handed me the phone. Thanks pal. I really wanted to wake up the kids. I snorted and he smiled. I didn't have to say what I was thinking, Shawn knew. So I dialed a cell phone number I knew by heart. No matter what time of the day, or night, Billy would answer his cell. With luck he would be with or talking to Jesse or Kid. Jesse was out of the show, like myself, and Kid was close to being gone, but they somehow always ended up together. I was constantly checking up on one or the other. I missed my boys.

"Hi, Mama." Billy drawled. "I was wondering when you were going to put in a call."

I smiled. "Hey Billy-boy. How's Chucky?"

"Aw shit. You are never going to let this go are you?" Billy groaned and it sounded like he smacked himself.

"Nope. You lost that bet fair and square. You even tried to cheat." I paused and turned to Shawn. "Bastard knows better than to cheat me at gin rummy." Shawn laughed.

"Hell. Now Shawn will never shut up about it. Why did you do this Chyna?"

I sighed. "You were traveling alone and I worried about you. You were lonely and bored without us. You needed a partner to tag with. And Chuck was willing to play the game. He wanted to further his career. I knew that he would be somewhat responsible and keep you outta trouble. It's just Mom looking out for you again. Besides, you tried to cheat at cards man."

Billy gave in. "Yeah Chuck is fine. His girlfriend came last night. I think she is going to travel for a while with us. It's a good thing he has her. Do you have any idea how hard it is to pick up chicks when you're gay?"

By this time Shawn had scooted close enough to listen in on the conversation. He smiled innocently at Chyna when he heard Billy, then he stole the phone. "Billy, my God, son. You mean, you aren't gay? I swear if I'd have known I would have never told Benoit. I swear."

I could hear the gears clicking in Billy's head, moments before the shouting began. Billy could curse with the best of them and I even heard some new phrases from him. After a minute or two, I finally had to step in, seeing as how a hysterical Shawn wasn't helping. "Billy." I used The Voice. He stopped talking. "Shawn was just kidding. He say's he's sorry."

"Damn." Billy snickered. "He always did that to me. Bastard. Well, at least I'm not the only one. The only person he could never fool was….." Billy paused. He continued a second later, as Serious Billy. "Hunter."

Shawn stopped laughing.

"I take it you saw." I stated it, didn't question.

"I saw." Came the steely voice. Billy rarely got pissed. But when you hurt family, Billy could be a killer.

Shawn got up and left the room. His jaw was clenched tight. He didn't want to hear me tell Billy. I could understand that. "Shawn came here after the show. How many times did you watch it, Billy?"

"Once. And that was enough. Any more and I would have gotten sick."

"Try twenty-seven. And then Shawn came home. We talked. Hunter didn't hurt his back." I said it at a whisper.

"Bullshit. Pedigree's fucking hurt." I knew he was remembering the time Hunter had Pedigreed him in the ring, and then later had apologized for three hours for doing it.

I looked to make sure the door was shut. "Hunter took a bad landing to keep his weight off of Shawn, and he held his back steady as long as possible. His back is fine. His entire body is physically okay."

Billy was quiet to long. As I was about to say something, I caught another voice talking to Billy. Then he spoke again. "Jesse found us a flight. He called Kid already. We'll be there around six tomorrow. Kid is coming with us. Jesse says to tell Shawn to remember that we love him. We love you too, Chyna." With that he hung up. Billy was never big on goodbyes.

I walked out of my room and looked for Shawn. He was in the kitchen making, I sniffed the air, pancakes. Yum. I laughed to myself. The Heartbreak Kid was a great chef. "Billy, Jesse and Pac are on their way. Be here around dinner tomorrow. I was going to call Kev next…" I trailed off, waiting to see if Shawn had a reply.

He turned to me, his eyes were red, but there was no evidence of shed tears. "Yeah, call him. Make sure he brings Scott. I have something to say and I want to say it once."

I nodded. It was understandable. I was glad I didn't have to call the entire Trio. Repeating what happened just made it hurt all over again. "I'll go call then."

"Wait." I stopped at his call, before heading back into my room. "I rummaged the fridge. You want strawberry or chocolate chip pancakes?"

I answered without hesitation. "Strawberry. The chocolate is for comfort food later." And with that I left to make my call.

I had to look up this number. Kevin had gotten a new phone a few months ago and I hadn't called him as often as I should. Scott was with him a lot in Alabama, seeing as Scott only had to go to Nashville, Tennessee to wrestle. Just a few hours away. But Kevin was bitchy when he was injured. It did no good to try and talk to him without pain medication.

He answered on the first ring. "About time you called girl."

"Not even a hello from you Kev?" I shook my head. "Take a pain pill if it hurts that bad, damn it."

He laughed. "How well you know me. Hey someone wants to say hi."

"Hey yo." Came through the speaker.

"Scott! Hey yo, yourself. Did Kevin take a pain med?"

"Yeah, I'm making him take it now. I can't blame him though. Getting him medical leave and on this plane was damn hard."

Ok, I was lost. 'What plane?"

He sighed, "The plane that Kev and I are on to see you and Shawn. We know that's where he is. The show was close to your home and he's not answering his cell, its common sense."

I couldn't help it. I had to tease him. "So Kevin figured it out huh?"

"What? Aw, man, mom just dissed me. Hey, don't laugh at me big guy. I'll thump you in the knee." A pause. "Oh, I'm a shithead? So what does that make you?"

I stopped them while it was still early in the battle. "The trio will be here tomorrow night at 6. When are you getting in?"

"Noon."

"Fine. I'll see you then. Make Kev sleep now."

"Yes ma'am. Later, doll."

As I hung up the phone Shawn called me to say the food was ready. The question was, were we ready to face the family.