Just a note: The first few chapters will probably be long and jump around a lot. This story starts at the beginning of Gabrielle's life so I have a lot to cover. Hickenbottom, in case anyone was confused, is Shawn Michaels' real last name. Any feedback is welcome!

Chapter 1 "Beginnings"

Gabrielle Lawrence's life was unconventional from the moment it began. Her father was a military man turned drug dealer--her mother a lounge singer. Because of Anthony Lawrence's profession, he had many friends all over the country, unfortunately he also had many enemies. When his pregnant wife Anne needed a safe place to stay when she had her baby, he knew just who to call.

On the morning of September 15th 1972, the air in San Antonio Texas was warm and dry. Anne Lawrence wasn't used to weather this warm in September back home in Connecticut, and she felt extremely uncomfortable. Maybe it had something to do with the fact she had been in labor for the past six hours?

"Come on! You can do it Anne! Keep pushing!" yelled a woman with a southern accent that seemed comforting to Anne. Eileen Hickenbottom and her husband Michael has been nice enough to take a pregnant Anne into their home until she had her baby. Michaels and Anne's husband Anthony had been in the air force together as young men, and had become close friends over the years. Anne and Eileen had become close as well, and Anne had helped Eileen a great deal during her difficult pregnancy five years earlier. The Hickenbottoms were aware that living with a drug dealer wasn't the safest thing for Anne, so they had no problem providing sanctuary for her.

Finally--after seven hours--with an intense push accompanied by an equally intense scream, little Gabrielle entered the world.

The Hickenbottom's young son Shawn heard all the commotion outside the hospital room, and even though his mother told him not to, he peeked into the room and eventually entered. Shawn never listened to anyone who told him what to do.

"Mom!", the young boy tapped his mother on the shoulder, "is the baby here yet? Can I hold it? PRETTY PLEASE?!?!"

Eileen was hesitant, but she finally gave in to her son. Who could resist the boy's wide eyed smile?

"Fine honey...but be careful."

Shawn sat down on a chair, and the baby was placed in his lap. He looked at her very carefully, inspecting her face. He immediately felt a connection to the little girl, and when his mother reached over to take the baby away, Shawn screamed.

"No! She's mine. I want to keep her."

For almost the next twenty five years Shawn's attitude didn't change. In his mind, he owned Gabrielle.

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Gabrielle and her mother never went back to Connecticut to be with Anthony. Anne only returned to bury her husband after his murder by rival drug dealers. At the age of seven, Gabrielle was without a father. It made no difference to her--she never even met him. She liked living with the Hickenbottoms in Texas, and she especially liked Shawn. She had developed a small crush on the twelve year old, and loved any attention she could attract from him. One night, her attempt to impress Shawn changed both of their lives forever.

"What are you watching?" Shawn asked as Gabrielle looked at the television screen intensely.

"Wrestling. My mom knows that guy." she pointed to the man she would later know as Ric Flair.

"Why are you watching this? You're a girl."


"It's interesting." Gabrielle was lying, but she thought Shawn would like it, so she watched it like it was the coolest thing she'd ever seen.

"You're such a freak. No wonder your dad hated you." Shawn said teasingly like a typical twelve year old boy would.

"Shut up. No he didn't." Gabrielle was used to the teasing.

"Yes he did. Why do you think he left you and your mom? He thought you were an ugly freak and didn't want you."

Gabrielle fled the room in tears. This wasn't the first time Shawn made her cry, but for some reason she always went back for more. Shawn just laughed to himself as he stood up to turn off the television. Before he could turn it off, he found himself interested in the match being shown. He had never seen wrestling before, and it intrigued him. He sat back down to finish watching the show, and enjoyed it more and more with each minute he watched.

Shawn watched wrestling every Saturday night after that.

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*ten years later*

"Oooh! Look at this one! I like the beads on the front"

"Yeah, but this one looks sexier. I like the neck line."

The lunchroom table at St. Mark's high school was filled with chatter. It was prom time, and girls were busy picking out nice dresses in magazines. Gabrielle was looking off into space.

"Hey Gabby, what does your prom dress look like?" one of the girls asked with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh I forgot, Gabrielle's boyfriend is too good to go to our prom. He's going to be a FAMOUS wrestler someday. He can't be seen hanging out with us lowly high school kids."

Gabrielle just rolled her eyes. She hated the girls in her high school, and couldn't wait until graduation. She was eagerly anticipating what the future held for her, and she was also eager to spend more time with Shawn---her boyfriend of two years. Gabrielle tried for years to make Shawn like her, and eventually her persistence paid off. Shawn had always thought of her as an annoying little sister, but he couldn't ignore the fact she had become beautiful, or the fact he was developing feelings for her. The age difference didn't matter to either of them.

Shawn had dropped out of college to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Gabrielle had no idea that her impress Shawn would spark a passion in him that could not be controlled. He had moved out of his parents' house while he went to wrestling school, and Gabrielle spent most of her time at his apartment. She had a falling out with her mother because Anne didn't approve of her daughter's relationship, mainly because of the age difference, but also because she didn't want Gabrielle involved in a serious relationship at such a young age.

When Gabrielle returned to the apartment that day to ask Shawn about the prom, he was waiting to greet her with exciting news.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you. Sit down...I have the best news!"

Gabrielle sat down in a hurry, "What is it? Why are you so excited?"

"I got a contract with the WWF! They are thinking about putting me in a tag team with this guy named Marty. Do you realize how amazing this is?!?!? All the stuff I've dreamed about is about to come true."

She had never seen Shawn so excited in her life. "Shawn baby...I'm so proud of you. I don't even know what to say." She grabbed his face and kissed him passionately.

Shawn quickly pulled away. "So basically I start going on the road in a few weeks. Hopefully I can make it back for your graduation but you wouldn't mind if I didn't right?"

Gabrielle looked dejected. "No, it's ok. I guess you won't be able to go to the prom with me either right? I won't go if you can't come with me."

"Who cares about a stupid prom? What is your problem? I'm telling you that I just got a job with the WWF and all your care about is yourself."

"Shawn I'm sorry..."

"Whatever. I'm not going to let you ruin my mood."

He left the room, and Gabrielle was left alone to think. She felt bad for making Shawn upset, and would apologize later. It seemed like most of her conversations with him started with the word sorry. Nonetheless, she fell asleep that night blissfully happy because the man she loved would have to chance to live his dream.

The next morning Gabrielle woke up to find Shawn standing above her looking pale as a ghost.

Gabrielle was half asleep but she managed to utter, "Hey, sorry about last night..."

Shawn sat down on the bed, reached for her hand, but remained silent.

Sensing something was wrong, Gabrielle sat up. "What's wrong Shawn."

"Babe...your mom. She..oh god I'm so...she died last night." Had almost couldn't say the words.

"What are you joking me?"

Shawn wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry. It was a car accident. Someone was drinking and swerved into her lane. They said they tried all they could but she..."

Gabrielle cried desperately, "Shawn, what am I supposed to do!?!?"

"Shhh,...it's ok. I'll always be here You won't lose me."

Gabrielle was frozen. She had been without a father for her whole life and now her mother was gone. She had no other family that she knew. Shawn was the only person she had left.

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Time passed quickly for Gabrielle after the death of her mother. She did everything possible to keep herself distracted from her loneliness. Five months after her mother died, she had lost Shawn too. He wasn't dead, and they didn't break up, but she had lost him in her mind. He had been on the road with the WWF, and besides a few phone calls on her part, they didn't have much contact. One day, a surprise phone call changed that.

"Hello."

"Hey there. Is this Gabrielle?" the male voice on the other end asked.

"Yes, this is Gabrielle" she said...not recognizing the voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi Gabrielle. This is Ric Flair. I'm not sure if you know who I am, but I was a friend of your mother, and I just wanted to call you to see how you were doing."

Gabrielle knew who he was of course. She had watched wrestling with Shawn over the years, and Ric was one of her favorites. She had also head her mother tell numerous stories of her time singing in North Carolina jazz clubs, and Ric Flair was apparently one of her biggest fans.

"Of course I know who you are! My mom would talk about you all the time. I'm doing ok, thank you so much for even calling."

"I'm so glad to hear that." Ric replied. "So are you in school now, or are you working?"

"No, I'm not in school. Honestly, school isn't really my thing. I'm more interested in music. I've been working on a lot of songs, and hopefully I can get a record deal or something someday. Right now, I'm just a waitress."

Ric seemed impressed. "Well, if you're half as talented as your mother, you'll go far. Listen, I know this is out of the blue, but would be interested in a job here with the WWF. It's nothing glamorous, but Vince McMahon needs a few people as assistants to the talent...helping with publicity, travel...stuff like that. I know your boyfriend is here---and by the way that boy is going to be huge someday----so I thought you might be interested.

Gabrielle was ecstatic. She had no reason to stay in Texas. If she worked for the WWF she'd be able to see Shawn all the time.

"Wow. I don't know what to say. Sure! I'd really love to, thank you." she replied eagerly.

Ric was quick to respond. "No, thank you. Someone will call you in a few days with more information about the job. I really can't wait to meet you." He felt happy knowing Gabrielle would have a job in the company in which he worked. Anne Lawrence was an important person in his life, and he almost felt obligated to take care of her daughter.

After hanging up the phone, Gabrielle jumped around her apartment with excitement. She never dreamed that she would work in wrestling like Shawn, but knowing she'd be able to see the love of her life more often made it seem like the perfect job.

Little did she know that this job would drive them further apart.