Raw : 14-01-2002.
Raw night and Valerie was set to face Jacqueline.She wasn't due to get her title-shot until at the Rumble and all she could do until then was prepare.Valerie scowled as she stood in the parking-lot,her father still hadn't arrived and he had promised to help her with her mental preparation.
"My Texan sister" a voice called from behind her.
Valerie turned around and saw a smiling Jackie approach her.
"What are doing standing out here?.Shouldn't you be inside getting ready for your match against me?" Jackie asked.
"I would be getting ready for my match with you if it weren't for my father being late" Valerie answered.
"Ah yes" Jackie said "your father"
Valerie frowned at Jackie and Jackie raised her hands.
"I know he's your father but honey,what he did…" Jackie said,not finishing her sentence.
Valerie turned away from Jackie and said:
"I know what he did but he's still my father"
Jackie nodded and said:
"I'll see ya later my Texan sister,I'll see ya later"
Jackie walked off leaving Valerie to think about what she had said.She was right,her father was out of control and it wasn't just Jeff,Matt and Lita that he hurt,it was everyone.Valerie shrugged it off and continued to wait.
After waiting for a while,which seemed like hours,her father finally arrived on his motorcycle.Taker smiled when he saw his daughter but his smile disappeared when he saw the scowl on her face.
"Oh boy" he muttered as he got off his bike.
Valerie stood there with her arms crossed as her father approached.
"I thought you said you would be here at the beginning of the show" Valerie snapped.
"I'm sorry babygirl,I got held back" Taker said.
"I just bet you did" Valerie spat,turning on her heel.
Taker grabbed hold of Valerie's arm and gently pulled her back.
"What's with the attitude little lady?" Taker asked.
Valerie didn't say anything,she just frowned.
"You need to learn how to respect your daddy,joyful and you need to appreciate just how much you need me" Taker said.
Valerie let out a small laugh and now it was Taker's turn to frown.Taker shook his head and walked past his daughter.Valerie stayed behind,forget the mental preparation,he would only piss her off even more.It would be time for her match soon and she needed to be ready.She stomped into her dressingroom with an angry look on her face.Jeff,who was sitting in her dressingroom,backed away a little when she passed.
"Are you okay?" Jeff asked.
Valerie grumbled something but didn't stop.She grabbed her stuff and started changing into her gear.Jeff frowned,perhaps it was best to just let her be for a while.When she was done changing,she sat down on the bench,next to Jeff.
"Damn father of mine" Valerie muttered.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Jeff asked carefully.
"No" Valerie said softly "it's nothing new anyway"
Jeff nodded and looked at Valerie,who was no longer scowling.Her eyes were now completely focussed on something none existent,Jeff knew that this meant she was ready for her match.A stagehand came by the door and told her that it was time for her match.Valerie nodded and got up.
"Good luck" Jeff said.
Valerie threw Jeff an affectionate look before walking out the door.She walked to the curtains,hearing Jackie's music roaring over the speakers.Seconds after Jackie's music stopped,Valerie's music came on.Valerie took a deep breath and made her way to the ring.The cheers were eternal or so it seemed,the second the bell rang the crowd was focussed on the match.Valerie and Jackie went at eachother with hard hits.
Jackie knocked Valerie down with a heel kick and went for the pin.1…2…but Valerie kicked out.Jackie pulled Valerie up but Valerie knocked Jackie down,Valerie picked Jackie back up and nailed her with a DDT.Valerie went for the pin.1…2…but Jackie kicked out.
Valerie went for a splash but Jackie moved out of the way.The cameras backstage revealed that not just Valerie's friends were watching,Christian,Lance Storm and Chris Jericho were watching as well.Jackie kicked away on Valerie and then whipped her off the ropes and gave her a flap jack.Jackie went to knock Valerie down with a clothesline but Valerie ducked and fired back with a clothesline of her own.
Valerie then took Jackie down with a Last Ride,causing her father to smirk in the back,and pinned her for the three count and the win.After the match Valerie was attacked by the Dudley Boyz again.They stomped away at her until the Rock,who had only just arrived at the arena,and Jeff made the save.The dudley's retreated up the ramp and the cameras in the back revealed that Taker hadn't moved,he was still sitting the way he had before except he seemed a little pained.
Jeff and the Rock helped Valerie backstage but the Rock left them after saying he had to go do something.Jeff and Valerie ran into Kane,who was up next against Kurt Angle.
"Hey,are you alright munchkin?" Kane asked.
"I'm fine" Valerie answered.
Kane eyed Jeff and Jeff got the message.Taker good care of her or else.
"I gotta go,I'm up next" Kane said "Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm positive,you go wrestle your match" Valerie said.
Kane smiled and gently nudge Valerie's chin before walking off.Jeff walked Valerie back to her room while the Rock found who he was looking for.Taker looked up to see the Rock approach and he smiled as though he had expected it.
"Why the hell weren't you out there?" the Rock asked.
"The two of you dealt with the Dudley's just fine" Taker said.
"That's not the point,she's your daughter,you should have been the first person to help her out" the Rock said.
"My daughter needs to learn how to take care of herself" Taker said.
"Against the Dudley Boyz?" the Rock yelled.
"Against anyone" Taker retorted.
"What the hell kind of a father are you?" the Rock demanded.
Taker had a look in his eyes that the Rock could only describe as sadness and sheer pain.
"I love my daughter very much but…"
The Rock suddenly figured it out.
"Wait a minute,wait just a minute.You wanted to come out,didn't you?.You wanted to come out more than anything.That bastard Vince McMahon told you not to,didn't he?"
Taker looked away and didn't say anything.
"Since when do you listen to what Vince McMahon says?" the Rock asked.
"I talked to him on the phone before the show.If he had told me that he would fire ME,I would have gone out there but he said that he would fire Valerie and I couldn't let that happen.This business means everything to her now" Taker said.
"Her safety comes first,no matter what McMahon says" the Rock said.
"I didn't think it would be so painful to see it happen but it was" Taker said.
"And you wont let it happen again?" the Rock asked.
"Not ever again" Taker said honestly.
The Rock walked away leaving Taker behind.Taker sighed,on one hand he damned Vince McMahon,on the other his daughter had to learn to respect him,maybe if she knew she needed him she would learn.
"Yeah" Taker muttered "she'll learn"
A/N : Please,please,please read and review.