She hissed through her teeth, wincing as the trainer probed her

injured ribs, trying to feel for any broken ones. Stephanie managed a small

smile for John as he wordlessly offered his hand to her, accepting the gesture.

Stephanie's mind drifted, thinking to how John had come out of

nowhere to help her. She wouldn't have been surprised if her father, Sable, and

A-Train had destroyed her in the middle of the ring. However, John had come out

to help her. Stephanie vaguely remembered seeing the Undertaker being helped to

the back as well. She really hoped that he was okay, for he had at least tried

to help her out and she already felt guilty at the idea of his being hurt at her

expense.

"Are you okay, Stephanie?" John asked worriedly, seeing the

dazed look in her eyes

"Mm-hmm," she managed to murmur, thinking of what had happened

after John saved her. He had carried her to the back, taking her immediately to

her dressing room, settling her gently on the couch. She had asked to go there,

knowing that she could summon a trainer and she didn't want attention brought to

herself. Stephanie had also expected, but not exactly wishing so, for John to

leave her.

He surprised her, though. John had actually sat next to her as

the trainer immediately began examining her, trying to determine if A-Train had

broken something with his powerful offense.

The door creaked open and Stephanie jumped slightly, half

expecting her father and Sable to come sauntering into the private room. John

half rose as well, stopping as the Undertaker walked into the room.

"Calm yourself, boy," Undertaker said, nodding to John as he

rested an arm against his injured ribs. "I'm not here to cause trouble."

Stephanie glanced between the two men, not surprised at the

immediate tension. After all, the two had just had two hellacious matches and

there was no love lost between the two. "Are you okay, Taker?" Stephanie finally

asked, noticing the way he was favoring his own ribs.

"I'll survive," the tall man replied, sitting gingerly in a

chair across from the two. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'll survive too," Stephanie said quietly, raising her arms

with a slight wince to allow the trainer to begin wrapping her ribs.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you out," Undertaker said quietly,

choosing to ignore the worried looks the trainer was aiming at him.

"It's not your fault," Stephanie replied. "My father's goons are

too much for any man alive."

"Still, I feel responsible," Undertaker said. "And there will be

hell to pay next week."

"You can count on that," John said, breaking his silence. The

Undertaker looked at him in surprise, and John raised his eyebrows. "I do have a

heart, you know."

"I didn't say anything," Undertaker replied, raising his hands

in defense with a small smile before wincing in pain.

"Are you... uh. sure you don't want to get that checked out?"

John asked. Undertaker gave him a look, and he quickly added, "Never mind, just

checking."

"We need some sort of game plan," Undertaker said.

"Jump from behind," Stephanie said, attempting to shift

positions like she always did while holding a conversation. Her aching ribs

screamed at her but when John noticed, he quickly helped the young McMahon to

sit up, causing Undertaker to raise an eyebrow at his caring manner for the

female.

He quickly wiped the look off his face, not wanting to insult

John with his skeptical look, instead choosing to say, "That sounds good and

all, but Steph, with Show, A-Train, Sable, and not to mention Brock Lesnar, the

have us beat. We need to figure out something, and something good."

"Yeah, but what?" Stephanie questioned, sighing and leaning her

head back.

John was about to say something but a shrill ring interrupted

them. "Can someone grab that for me? I can't move" Stephanie asked, nodding to

the phone sitting on a table a few feet away. John had the phone in his hand

before Undertaker could even stand, the veteran drawing up another amused look

at the move. John Cena was obviously smitten with Stephanie McMahon. "Who is

it?" Stephanie asked tiredly.

John glanced at the caller ID, then told her, "Lilian."