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"Man, that feels better!" sighed Rob, lifting his foot off the table
The trainer nodded, rolling up the tape and packing it away. Rob flexed his leg experimentally, it felt good, it felt like he could wrestle on it. He turned to Steph who sat on a large black leather chair looking pleased.
"Steph, this is so awesome, I mean having our own room here and I got my title" enthused Rob, holding his title half up
"Only the best" replied Steph, unscrewing a bottle of water
The door opened and Jamie Noble and Nidia appeared, looking hot and happy. There were no prizes for guessing how they celebrated the successful run- in. Jamie sat down on the couch, Nidia sitting down on his lap
"Good job guys" said Steph "did Shane catch up with you and thank you?"
"Sure did, only happy to help ya" replied Jamie, slipping an arm around Nidia's waist
"This is the beginning guys" said Steph, serious suddenly "you see what we can achieve if we work together? We can win matches, get titles, be on top for years to come"
"Lets face it Steph, you'd know all about being on top wouldn't you?" a smug voice called from the doorway
"Jericho, a little delayed in your entrance aren't you?" Steph retorted, unfazed
"How'd you mean?"
"The three stooges were here earlier, you missed the little bitter-protest- and-bitchy-complaining session initiated by Hunter, Edge and Angle"
"Those ass-clowns? What do I want with them? Besides I have a date to kick your husbands ass in a few matches time and being friends with the guy backstage just won't cut it now would it Princess?" he moved into the room
Rob and Jamie got up to eject him but Steph stopped him with a wave of her hand, her eyes never leaving Jericho
"Lets just see what he wants before we throw him out" she said
"Sweet pad" Jericho responded, looking around the room "even a living legend such as me hasn't got a room like this, I should talk to your dad about it"
"He wouldn't, Mcmahon money Jericho" replied Steph with a smile
"Of course, that never ending cash supply known as your father" snorted Jericho "when's he gonna wise up and see that everytime he turns his back on you and Shane, you stick a knife in it?"
"We learned from the best Jericho" said Steph darkly "we learnt from him"
"Whatever, you can calm down guys" he said to the standing superstars "I'm leaving, just wanted to see what Steph had here, now I gotta go start preparing to kill Hunter, adios!"
Steph was about to say good luck but caught herself in time, why would she say good luck to Jericho? Even if he was fighting her ex-husband? She shook her head confused as Jericho disappeared out of the door, God she despised him, he even stopped her thinking straight.
"Thanks for the back up" she said to the guys "he'd just come to cause trouble as usual"
As Steph dropped back into chair, Shane burst into the room.
"We've got a problem" he gasped
"What? What?!" demanded Steph, already beginning to panic a little
Shane held a hand up as he collapsed into the nearest chair and drank deeply from a water bottle handed to him before speaking
"Well the good news is that Dad tried to catch me and failed even though Hogan and Rocky tried to stop me but the UnAmericans beat them down from behind"
"What's the bad news?" piped up Nidia
"That Austin is on the warpath, for some reason, he wants to talk to us" replied Shane, his eyes wide, looking at Steph
As if on cue, loud and powerful banging began on the door. Shane, Jamie, and Nidia all jumped at the sound. Stephanie, however, every bit the businesswoman, got up off the chair after taking a deep breath. She smoothed the front of her pants and pushed her hair behind her shoulders before walking over to the door.
"You're letting your sister go over there because you're too scared?" Nidia asked, a questioning look on her face.
"I am not scared." Shane replied indignantly, hurrying after his sister.
Stephanie pulled the door open and visibly braced herself.
"Hogan and Rock are up and better and are so pissed off at us." Christian exclaimed with an almost childlike smile on his face. Lance Storm and Test were behind him, looking less thrilled with the idea of being pursued by two legends.
"So you guys ran from them?" Stephanie asked, letting them into the room. She rolled her eyes as they hurried in and peered out the door to see if anybody else was coming. She clenched the doorframe when she saw Austin turning around the corner. He caught sight of her and changed his direction, heading straight towards her.
Stephanie tried putting on the biggest, most sincere smile she could muster. She bit her bottom lip and cursed silently when she felt herself shaking. "Austin, what can I do for you?" She asked once he was close enough to hear.
"I wanna talk to you and your brother." He growled.
"Of course." She motioned him into the room and watched him carefully as his eyes narrowed. "Is something the matter?"
"I wanna talk to you and your brother, in private." Austin clarified, shooting impatient looks at RVD, the Un-Americans, and Noble with Nidia.
Shane got up. "Of course. Guys, if you don't mind." He trailed off pointedly. The six left the room after being assured that everything was fine.
Once the door was shut firmly Stephanie's face hardened. "Now tell us what the hell you want." She snapped. Shane jumped at the abrupt attitude change, even though he should have been used to it by now.
"Is that any way to talk to the new leader of your group?" Austin sneered, taking a step towards her.
"Fuck that." She spat out, not moving. "If you think for one minute that we're going to accept you in and assume all leadership roles to you then you are so in for a rude awakening."
"Is that so?"
"Tell me, do I look like I'm joking?" She answered evenly.
Shane was about to step in when he came across the sudden realization that there were not many people Stephanie was afraid to stand up to. She could verbally go up against the best of them and usually come out the victor. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of skin hitting skin. He thought the worst for Steph until he looked up and saw Austin with a handprint on his cheek and Stephanie with her hand raised, ready to strike again.
"You have no idea who you're messing with." Austin hissed, stalking out of the room.
"Apparently I do!" She called after him, an over-joyed look on her face. "I so just stuck up to Austin." She announced happily to Shane, who still had an amazed look on his face. "Did you see that?"
~+~+~+~
"Shane, would you do me a favour?"
He looked up from the paperwork warily. "I guess so."
Stephanie looked at him innocently as she propped her feet up onto the desk. "Well since Taker is going to beat Hogan, somebody, one of us, needs to go out there at the end of the match and read our little statement." She put one hand behind her head and held the paper out to him.
"And let me guess." Shane started. "You want me to go out there?"
"Yeah, that was kinda the favor." Stephanie answered. "I would but," She lowered her voice. "Do you know how many people out there would love to get the chance to kick my ass?" She asked. "It's pretty scary if you think about it and I am your little sister and all." She trailed off and looked down at her nails slowly.
Shane groaned. "Fine, I'll do it." He agreed, snatching the paper from her outstretched hand. He scanned it quickly and nodded. "Alright."
"You're the best!" Stephanie practically squealed, this time regaining her composure so she didn't hug him and embarrass them both.
Twenty minutes later Stephanie stood up and watched from the door as Shane walked down the hall. She was about to turn around when someone coming from around the corner caught her eye. It was Jericho and he had his sights set on Shane. Before Stephanie could call out a warning he had attacked Shane from behind with a chair, knocking him unconscious.
Stephanie stood frozen to the spot and Jericho turned around and spotted her and smirked. She tried getting back into her office and found out the hard way that the door had locked behind her, the keys inside. "Shit." She muttered when she realized her cell phone was in there too.
Jericho was getting closer and she began to run, not quite sure where it was she was trying to get to. She turned a corner and tripped over someone, sending both of them sprawling to the floor.
"Can I help you?" Edge asked jokingly as she got off of him. He helped her up and looked up to see Jericho sprinting towards the two.
Stephanie took a deep breath and did the most pathetic thing she had ever done in her whole life; she hid behind Edge. "Don't let him get to me." She whispered, hoping that he'd heard her. "Jericho, what's going on?" Edge asked, cocking his head to one side. "You look like you're awfully excited to see someone."
"Just move aside Junior." He snapped. "I just wanna talk to the princess alone."
"I'm sure you do." Stephanie shot back. "But she'll talk to you alone when pigs fly out of your ass."
Edge shook his head at the bickering. "Just chill you two." He smirked and turned to Stephanie. "Besides, I'm pretty sure there's someone else who wants to see you just as bad."
Her eyes narrowed and then let out a scream of protest when Edge hoisted her over his shoulder. She could see Jericho laughing as he followed them and realized she had just been set up.
"Man, that feels better!" sighed Rob, lifting his foot off the table
The trainer nodded, rolling up the tape and packing it away. Rob flexed his leg experimentally, it felt good, it felt like he could wrestle on it. He turned to Steph who sat on a large black leather chair looking pleased.
"Steph, this is so awesome, I mean having our own room here and I got my title" enthused Rob, holding his title half up
"Only the best" replied Steph, unscrewing a bottle of water
The door opened and Jamie Noble and Nidia appeared, looking hot and happy. There were no prizes for guessing how they celebrated the successful run- in. Jamie sat down on the couch, Nidia sitting down on his lap
"Good job guys" said Steph "did Shane catch up with you and thank you?"
"Sure did, only happy to help ya" replied Jamie, slipping an arm around Nidia's waist
"This is the beginning guys" said Steph, serious suddenly "you see what we can achieve if we work together? We can win matches, get titles, be on top for years to come"
"Lets face it Steph, you'd know all about being on top wouldn't you?" a smug voice called from the doorway
"Jericho, a little delayed in your entrance aren't you?" Steph retorted, unfazed
"How'd you mean?"
"The three stooges were here earlier, you missed the little bitter-protest- and-bitchy-complaining session initiated by Hunter, Edge and Angle"
"Those ass-clowns? What do I want with them? Besides I have a date to kick your husbands ass in a few matches time and being friends with the guy backstage just won't cut it now would it Princess?" he moved into the room
Rob and Jamie got up to eject him but Steph stopped him with a wave of her hand, her eyes never leaving Jericho
"Lets just see what he wants before we throw him out" she said
"Sweet pad" Jericho responded, looking around the room "even a living legend such as me hasn't got a room like this, I should talk to your dad about it"
"He wouldn't, Mcmahon money Jericho" replied Steph with a smile
"Of course, that never ending cash supply known as your father" snorted Jericho "when's he gonna wise up and see that everytime he turns his back on you and Shane, you stick a knife in it?"
"We learned from the best Jericho" said Steph darkly "we learnt from him"
"Whatever, you can calm down guys" he said to the standing superstars "I'm leaving, just wanted to see what Steph had here, now I gotta go start preparing to kill Hunter, adios!"
Steph was about to say good luck but caught herself in time, why would she say good luck to Jericho? Even if he was fighting her ex-husband? She shook her head confused as Jericho disappeared out of the door, God she despised him, he even stopped her thinking straight.
"Thanks for the back up" she said to the guys "he'd just come to cause trouble as usual"
As Steph dropped back into chair, Shane burst into the room.
"We've got a problem" he gasped
"What? What?!" demanded Steph, already beginning to panic a little
Shane held a hand up as he collapsed into the nearest chair and drank deeply from a water bottle handed to him before speaking
"Well the good news is that Dad tried to catch me and failed even though Hogan and Rocky tried to stop me but the UnAmericans beat them down from behind"
"What's the bad news?" piped up Nidia
"That Austin is on the warpath, for some reason, he wants to talk to us" replied Shane, his eyes wide, looking at Steph
As if on cue, loud and powerful banging began on the door. Shane, Jamie, and Nidia all jumped at the sound. Stephanie, however, every bit the businesswoman, got up off the chair after taking a deep breath. She smoothed the front of her pants and pushed her hair behind her shoulders before walking over to the door.
"You're letting your sister go over there because you're too scared?" Nidia asked, a questioning look on her face.
"I am not scared." Shane replied indignantly, hurrying after his sister.
Stephanie pulled the door open and visibly braced herself.
"Hogan and Rock are up and better and are so pissed off at us." Christian exclaimed with an almost childlike smile on his face. Lance Storm and Test were behind him, looking less thrilled with the idea of being pursued by two legends.
"So you guys ran from them?" Stephanie asked, letting them into the room. She rolled her eyes as they hurried in and peered out the door to see if anybody else was coming. She clenched the doorframe when she saw Austin turning around the corner. He caught sight of her and changed his direction, heading straight towards her.
Stephanie tried putting on the biggest, most sincere smile she could muster. She bit her bottom lip and cursed silently when she felt herself shaking. "Austin, what can I do for you?" She asked once he was close enough to hear.
"I wanna talk to you and your brother." He growled.
"Of course." She motioned him into the room and watched him carefully as his eyes narrowed. "Is something the matter?"
"I wanna talk to you and your brother, in private." Austin clarified, shooting impatient looks at RVD, the Un-Americans, and Noble with Nidia.
Shane got up. "Of course. Guys, if you don't mind." He trailed off pointedly. The six left the room after being assured that everything was fine.
Once the door was shut firmly Stephanie's face hardened. "Now tell us what the hell you want." She snapped. Shane jumped at the abrupt attitude change, even though he should have been used to it by now.
"Is that any way to talk to the new leader of your group?" Austin sneered, taking a step towards her.
"Fuck that." She spat out, not moving. "If you think for one minute that we're going to accept you in and assume all leadership roles to you then you are so in for a rude awakening."
"Is that so?"
"Tell me, do I look like I'm joking?" She answered evenly.
Shane was about to step in when he came across the sudden realization that there were not many people Stephanie was afraid to stand up to. She could verbally go up against the best of them and usually come out the victor. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of skin hitting skin. He thought the worst for Steph until he looked up and saw Austin with a handprint on his cheek and Stephanie with her hand raised, ready to strike again.
"You have no idea who you're messing with." Austin hissed, stalking out of the room.
"Apparently I do!" She called after him, an over-joyed look on her face. "I so just stuck up to Austin." She announced happily to Shane, who still had an amazed look on his face. "Did you see that?"
~+~+~+~
"Shane, would you do me a favour?"
He looked up from the paperwork warily. "I guess so."
Stephanie looked at him innocently as she propped her feet up onto the desk. "Well since Taker is going to beat Hogan, somebody, one of us, needs to go out there at the end of the match and read our little statement." She put one hand behind her head and held the paper out to him.
"And let me guess." Shane started. "You want me to go out there?"
"Yeah, that was kinda the favor." Stephanie answered. "I would but," She lowered her voice. "Do you know how many people out there would love to get the chance to kick my ass?" She asked. "It's pretty scary if you think about it and I am your little sister and all." She trailed off and looked down at her nails slowly.
Shane groaned. "Fine, I'll do it." He agreed, snatching the paper from her outstretched hand. He scanned it quickly and nodded. "Alright."
"You're the best!" Stephanie practically squealed, this time regaining her composure so she didn't hug him and embarrass them both.
Twenty minutes later Stephanie stood up and watched from the door as Shane walked down the hall. She was about to turn around when someone coming from around the corner caught her eye. It was Jericho and he had his sights set on Shane. Before Stephanie could call out a warning he had attacked Shane from behind with a chair, knocking him unconscious.
Stephanie stood frozen to the spot and Jericho turned around and spotted her and smirked. She tried getting back into her office and found out the hard way that the door had locked behind her, the keys inside. "Shit." She muttered when she realized her cell phone was in there too.
Jericho was getting closer and she began to run, not quite sure where it was she was trying to get to. She turned a corner and tripped over someone, sending both of them sprawling to the floor.
"Can I help you?" Edge asked jokingly as she got off of him. He helped her up and looked up to see Jericho sprinting towards the two.
Stephanie took a deep breath and did the most pathetic thing she had ever done in her whole life; she hid behind Edge. "Don't let him get to me." She whispered, hoping that he'd heard her. "Jericho, what's going on?" Edge asked, cocking his head to one side. "You look like you're awfully excited to see someone."
"Just move aside Junior." He snapped. "I just wanna talk to the princess alone."
"I'm sure you do." Stephanie shot back. "But she'll talk to you alone when pigs fly out of your ass."
Edge shook his head at the bickering. "Just chill you two." He smirked and turned to Stephanie. "Besides, I'm pretty sure there's someone else who wants to see you just as bad."
Her eyes narrowed and then let out a scream of protest when Edge hoisted her over his shoulder. She could see Jericho laughing as he followed them and realized she had just been set up.