A/N: Some of you may notice my timeline is screwed up so there will probably be some inconsistencies.
Chapter III: Family Trouble.
Valerie felt lousy as she returned from the canteen. Her father was walking right behind her, no longer willing to leave her alone. She scowled at that, thinking her mood couldn't possibly get any worse. She had been assaulted by Shane McMahon, her father was sticking to her like a fly to honey and his comment on her being skinny didn't help much either. She sighed as she thought back to what it was like backstage when she was little: No one hated anyone (much) and she was able to walk around without being assaulted.
Valerie was brought back to reality when she felt her father giving a gentle nudge. She had stopped walking without knowing it.
"Little preoccupied there, joyful?" Taker said with concern evident in his voice.
"A little," she answered, not really wanting to talk about it.
"If you wanna talk about it…" Taker began slowly.
"NO." Valerie jumped back at the sound of her own voice. She hadn't meant to sound so harsh. "I'm sorry, just… no I don't wanna talk about it, I'm fine anyway."
"Valerie…"
Valerie winced, he hardly ever called her by her first name anymore, it was a name that her mother had given her at birth and though he didn't dislike it in any way, since it was his little girl's name, he preffered not to use it.
"I'm fine, you came into the hall just in time." She gave her father a dazzling smile and said, "Honest."
She hugged her father and he hugged her back. "I know you better than that, little girl. You're hurt and you're bottling it all up."
Valerie pulled away. "Well, maybe I am bottling it all up," she said, suddenly feeling defensive.
"Maybe?" Taker questioned.
"And maybe I like bottling it all up."
"I don't think…" Taker began.
"Just forget it," she snapped as she stalked off.
Taker knew better than to follow her, he figured she'd cool down and come back afterwards. They were close to their dressingroom anyway. He just hoped she'd stay close by.
Valerie, in the mean time, was seething. She stalked through the backstage area, not watching where she was going in the slightest and ended up literally walking straight into the last person she wanted to run into.