Chapter II: Enemies.
RAW, Monday: October 1, 2001.
Valerie came into the building carrying two travel bags and a suit-case caddy. She had yet to have breakfast, she hadn't met with any of her friends yet and her father refused to let her go out by herself. She grumbled as she walked through the hallway with the bags.
She walked in and ran into Lita as she came walking towards Valerie, Matt and Jeff Hardy right behind her. A smile appeared on Lita's face when she saw Valerie.
"Hey, Sister Golden Hair," Lita enthused.
"Lolita," Valerie greeted, smiling as well.
Lita hugged Val and said, "I didn't know you were coming,why didn't you call me?"
"Well, you know my dad, he never bothers with other people much and he doesn't let me either," Valerie said.
Lita nodded. That was 'Taker alright. She looked at Matt and Jeff and said, "Have you been introduced yet?"
"No," both Matt and Jeff said. Valerie just shook her head, her newly acquired curls bouncing around her head.
"Well, Val, this is Matt and this is Jeff, they are, as you know, the Hardy Boys. Matt, Jeff, this is Valerie Calloway, 'Taker's daughter," Lita said as Matt and Jeff shook hands with Valerie.
"Hi," Matt said, a friendly smile on his face.
"Nice to meet you," Jeff said.
"Likewise," Valerie said.
"Where is your dad by the way?" Lita asked.
"Signing autographs out front, I got lumbered with all his bags," Valerie said with a mock pout.
Jeff was quick to say, "Me and Matt could help you carry them."
"We could?" Matt mumbled but an elbow from Jeff shut him up.
"You know what? That would be great," Valerie said.
"Tell your dad that next time he can carry his own bags," Lita said, though she herself wouldn't dream of saying that to 'Taker.
"I will," Valerie said, and she would.
Jeff and Matt helped Valerie carry the bags and dropped them off in the Undertaker's dressingroom. The meeting would have a normal friendly meeting, were it not for the fact that as they walked Jeff found out that Valerie liked the same music and the same candy as him. Matt practically had to drag Jeff away from Valerie when they had finished helping her and scolded him for staring at her while they walked down the hall.
Valerie chuckled to herself. "We're off to a good start."
She decided to go to the canteen. If she was ever going to meet any of her friends, she'd have to do it while her father was otherwise occupied. Arriving at the canteen, she looked in, not knowing if she should go in. She saw familiar and unfamiliar faces. Then she met eyes with a very good friend of hers.
The Rock was sitting in the canteen, and when he caught sight of her, he tilted his head and raised that ever familiar eyebrow, before smiling widely. Valerie ran to him and jumped into his arms.
The Rock hugged her tightly and said, "My dearest Valerie, it has been too long."
He set her back down on the ground and Val said, "Tell me about it,I feel like I've been gone for years."
"It's good to see you back," Rock said.
"Thank you," she said, a big smile on her face.
The Rock had been her friend since he had first come to the federation 5 years earlier. She was thirteen when she met him and they liked eachother right away. He was like a brother to her even though her father was against the friendship. Of course, her father was against all of her friendships. Not one of the people she had made friends with since her father had joined the federation in November, 1990 was any good in her father's eyes.
Her thoughts were interrupted when someone came into the canteen, calling out to the Rock and telling him they wanted to do a promo with him.
"Great," he sighed. "I gotta go, we'll have lunch tomorrow after noon and then we'll catch up, okay?"
"Sure," Valerie said, already looking forward to it. "I'll see you tomorrow."
The Rock left, giving Valerie another hug before going, and Valerie greeted some of the other wrestlers she knew. She sat down at the bar but after a while, she got bored and wondered what was keeping her father. She got up and walked into the hallway. She'd find out what was keeping him. First he lectured her about safety and then he left her by herself. It wasn't safe to be by herself as the man she met in the hallway was hellbent on proving. Shane McMahon, the owner of WCW himself, blocked her path as she tried to walk around him.
"Well, well, well," Shane smirked. "If it isn't Valerie Calloway. How you doing, babydoll?"
"That's none of your business and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't call me babydoll."
"I would appreciate it if you would mind your own business, it doesn't look good for either one of us."
"I suppose not," Valerie said carefully, wondering if she should scream.
Shane smiled and touched Valerie's hair.
Valerie slapped his hand away, snapping, "Don't touch me."
"I was just imagining what it would be like to run my fingers through all that pretty red hair and what it would feel like to rip it all out."
Valerie took an involuntary step back at that. "You're sick."
"Am I?" Shane questioned, the smirk still firmly on his face.
He stepped closer to her and she backed away from him, knowing that whatever he was planning to do, wouldn't be good. She tried to hit him in desperation but he caught her hand and grabbed both her arms, holding them tightly. She immediately began to struggle and tried to kick him but he was holding her firmly in place and her legs were obstructed by his body.
"You should have stayed out of our business when you had the chance," Shane hissed into her face. "Now it's too late."
He viciously squeezed her upperarms, drawing a startled gasp from her. She tried to kick him again but he dodged her leg and shoved his own body into hers, forcing the air out of her lungs.
"Let go of me," she choked out as tears formed in her eyes.
"What's the matter, babydoll? Starting to feel a little uncomfortable?" he mocked, before grinning. He buried his nose in her hair and closed his eyes. "Mmm, little Valerie, what is that perfume called?"
Valerie was saved from answering and saved from the situation when Shane was yanked away from her and tossed through the hallway. 'Taker would probably have given Shane a thing or two to think about if the man hadn't run for it like the coward he was. 'Taker turned away from the retreating Shane McMahon and to his daughter. Valerie had slid down the wall and was currently softly weeping. He kneeled at her side and put his arms around her.
"It's okay," he whispered. "He's gone. You're safe now."
Valerie merely hugged her father tightly, burying her face in his shoulder. 'Taker picked her up in his arms and carried her to his lockerroom.
After she drank some water and she calmed down a little, she asked, "Where were you?"
'Taker winced and when she realized what her question had sounded like, so did Valerie.
"I'm sorry, joyful," 'Taker said. "Handing out autographs took longer than I thought it would."
Valerie shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like an accusation."
'Taker nodded, though she could see that he blamed himself for her being attacked. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Starving actually," Valerie said.
"Good, a decent meal will do you good," 'Taker said with a frown on his face.
"What does that frown mean?" Valerie asked.
"What frown?" 'Taker said, trying to stop frowning.
"The frown you had on your face when you said a decent meal would do me good. What does that mean?"
Undertaker got up and said, "That frown means you've been getting too skinny lately."
"I have not been getting" Valerie began in disbelief before trailing off. "Ah, shit." She got up and faced her father. "I am not skinny."
"Come on, joyful," 'Taker scoffed. "Look at yourself. You're 6 foot and you weigh a hundred pounds."
"First of all, I weigh 115," Valerie began indignantly.
"Oh, and that makes all the difference," her father said sarcastically.
But Valerie continued, "And second I'll have you know I've been gaining weight."
"It doesn't show," 'Taker said.
"It doesn't have to, as long as I know I am," Valerie retorted.
"Look," 'Taker sighed, running a hand down his face. "Forget I ever said that. Let's just get a bite to eat."
"Fine," she bit out before storming out of the room, not waiting for him.
'Taker sighed again. He really was worried about her weight. Sometimes when he hugged her, he was afraid she would break in half, she was so delicate. Pushing her, however, would accomplish nothing and he knew that so he decided to give her some time to cool down by not talking about it for a while.