Disclaimer: first page.
A/N: I'm working on this story continually. I kinda want to find out what happens one week before I write about the last, just to see where to go. Sorry this one took so long. I'm now in fighter practice for the Alabama Renaissance Festival (which is the last weekend in Oct. if anyone is interested). So sunburn and exhaustion make for lousy writing time. But never fear, I'll finish…eventually.
Later Thursday, I spent the day planning. After Shawn dropped his announcement on us, we made plans for traveling. I, of course, was going with Shawn, Billy had to go travel with the SmackDown group, Scott had to return to Nashville for the NWA show and Jesse was going with him. It seems he had family and friends in that area and this would be a nice opportunity to visit. I had talked the Kid into going back to Alabama with Kevin. The Big Guy needed somebody to make sure that he took his medicine and didn't give up. I know that Scott was down there a lot with him, but it had been Hunter who, with his recent experience, could talk Kev into going a step further when the pain was too much. With recent events as they were, I knew that a call from Hunter wouldn't be to welcome. And he probably knew that. Shawn also called his wife that night to really talk to her. I knew that he called her Tuesday, but that was only for a moment. She was worried about him challenging Hunter. I wondered for an instant if she and I were more alike than we seemed.
We passed the next day discussing Scott's move in the NWA. A few guys and namely and old friend by the name of Jeff Jarrett had attacked him a few nights ago. So, I put myself back into protective gear and made a plan for him. Some simple attack from behind and challenge moves. Nothing that we hadn't planned before. I promised to watch the show Wednesday to see how it went.
Now it was Friday morning and we were all heading for the airport. Kevin and Pac were leaving at 9 a.m. Which is why we were there at 8:45 a.m. Billy and Jesse were not morning people. Come to think of it, none of us really were, but we got up just the same. Getting Kevin on the plane was the event Scott made it out to be. He complained like a small child with a bellyache. No mention was made of what he did for me yesterday. He knew I thanked him for it.
Scott took the rental car to the store for more drinks. I swear Kid can drink more caffeine than anyone I know. Shawn and I drove Billy and Jesse back to the house, where they promptly crashed on the sofa. Billy was slouched on one end and Jesse was using his lap for a pillow. It had taken all of five minutes for them to journey back to the land of dreams. Shawn followed me into the kitchen where he picked up one of the chocolate chip cookies I had made last night.
"So, what happened yesterday?"
The question caught me off guard. "Huh?"
He turned so he wouldn't look me in the eyes. "You know, down in the weight room? That little thing that happened."
"Oh. That."
"Yeah. That." He cleared his throat. "Scott, Billy and myself have never seen you lose it like that. But, Jesse wasn't so surprised. He said something about you doing it before, when Hunter rolled the tape of marrying Stephanie. That the two of you had a fight two nights before that about the plan to kidnap the owner's daughter. And that you found out the same time as the rest of the world that he'd done what he did. A little fit you had in the locker room and only Jesse was there. Something about 'worth.'"
I nodded. It was in the past and didn't hurt as much now. It was one of those rare times when my utter girlie-girl came out. "Yeah, we fought about it. And then he went and married her. Hell, I thought I would be first you know? But I didn't know Jesse was around when I went to blow off steam. Too bad for him. But I got over it, stayed with him for a bit longer and soon decided that the relationship didn't need three people. So I got out, but I still loved him. He was my family after all. I simply loved him like a brother now. Or mostly. I wish sometimes I was still with him." I was almost finished washing last nights dishes when I felt Shawn's arms tighten around my waist.
"I'm sorry Chyna."
"There is nothing to be sorry for. That's life." I reached down and hugged his arm.
He sighed. "No, I'm sorry that I have to beat the crap out of the jerk."
"I'm not." I laughed. "Sunshine, there are some people in this world need a beating every now and again. Sometimes a kid needs to touch the red burner on the stove to know its hot." Shrugging, I continued, "Hunter is just being that kid. And if you feel the need to kick his ass, well, let's just say I want to be around."
"Your not the only one who wants to be there." Scott was standing in the doorway, looking at us. "Unfortunately, I have other places to be." He pushed himself off the wall where he was leaning. " I got a call today from the NWA. They will let Jeff off his 60-day suspension so I can face him in a match. Lucky me."
Shawn walked around me to the refrigerator. "Well now, that calls for a celebration." He rummaged around for a while. All the time I was praying for him to remember and not pull out any alcohol. To my surprise a bottle of chocolate syrup came out and then he reached into the freezer and pulled out ice cream. He turned to look at me. "Go wake the kiddies. I'm making sundaes."
We spent the rest of that day avoiding the subject of our jobs. I talked Scott into helping me move furniture in my room while Shawn and the Terrible Twosome spent some time in the pool. I soon sent Scott down after them. He was leaving early in the morning with Jesse, Billy around lunch, and Shawn and I were heading out Sunday morning for Greensboro, North Carolina. It was going to be fun traveling again. Except I couldn't go to the arena. Shawn had called Eric Bischoff and had gotten him to change Shawn's room to a double, but wouldn't give me a pass into the show. After being incredibly pissed off for a while, I relented. It was good enough that I was five minutes from the arena. Getting in there wasn't as important and simply being around.
"Hey Mom?" Billy brought me back to my surroundings. I had been watching a movie while they played, but I guess I zoned out for a while.
"Yeah?"
"Ummm…. You might want to come stop Jesse. He found the lighter fluid and…."
That was all it took. I was out the door in a flash.
***~***
I waved goodbye to Scott and Jesse as they walked into the airport. Billy and Shawn had said their goodbyes earlier and had opted to stay at the house playing video games while I took the boys to the airport. They both told me to take care of Shawn and I told Scott to beat the hell out of Jarrett. Unfortunately for the both of us, plans fall apart when you least expect it.