Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since an update! I hope you guys like this chapter, and if you have time, please check out some of my stories, and please review!
To clear my thoughts…and yours: The names of Stephanie's protectors are: Melody, Danielle, Chyna, Kat, Faith and Rose. I believe that's all of them…
Masked
Chapter 12
Stephanie McMahon curled her knees up further into her chest, clutching at her ankle. Her eyes were closed tight. In an act of desperation, her fingers curled tighter around her ankle, trying to cut of her circulation. Anything would be better to feel than this pain… Oh, God. Her eyes scrunched up as she tried to close them tighter. By now, she was sure the pain had burned her skin to the bone. Her body trembled with the white-hot pain while her mind cursed Hunter and Molly to all sorts of hell. Somewhere in the back of the mind, she had acknowledged that Kurt had disappeared into the battle, and that she'd rolled next to the ropes. The mat bounced beneath her, the sound of bodies crashing against the mat echoing through her ears.
Slowly, Stephanie released her fingers, letting out a quiet gasp at the new pain shooting up her body. Biting her lip, her expression almost breaking, she waited for the pain to dull as she warily eyed the men in the ring. Bodies were laid out all along the apron, Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy in the middle of the ring, wielding steel chairs. The ring was almost empty-now that they had tossed Chris Jericho over the ropes-and only Steven Richards, Rob Conway, and Gail Kim remained. Kurt Angle screamed, his hands twisting Rob Conway's ankle beyond any natural limit, ignoring the fact that the American had long since tapped out. Stephanie grabbed the second rope, pulling herself up to her knees. Edge was on top of the turnbuckle, eyeing the wrestlers that looked like they'd make a return trip into the ring. RVD and Jeff looked eager to leap over the ropes and onto wrestlers, but no opportunities had risen yet. They watched as Danielle and Victoria battled, neither looking to intervene unless it was absolutely necessary.
Victoria grabbed at Danielle's blond hair, and once she got a handful, tried to swing the woman into the turnbuckle, but Danielle stood her ground. She reached her hands up, grabbing Victoria in a headlock, and pulled her body up and over Victoria, sending Victoria spiraling to the mat and out of the ring.
As soon as Victoria showed no signs of returning, Danielle rushed over to Stephanie, kneeling in front of the brunette. "Stephanie? Hun, can you hear me?" Stephanie nodded mutely, pulling herself to her feet, standing her good leg.
"Let's get this over with, and fast," Stephanie wheezed, and Danielle nodded, and shouted something to Rob, Jeff, Kurt, and Edge. They knew that they were fighting a losing battle—the only reason they were winning being the steel chairs in their hands that collided with opponents before they could amount any offensive. However, it wouldn't last long. Soon, the other wrestlers would smarten up, and swamp them, giving them no chance to fight back. Danielle grabbed a fallen steel chair as Jeff and Kurt turned to Steven Richards. Jeff held Steven's legs down, and Kurt pressed down on his shoulders. Stephanie hobbled over to him, and pinned him.
The referee slid next to her. "1…" he chanted, his arm swinging. "2…3!" he signaled for the bell to ring. With relief, Stephanie slid off of Steven, barely obtaining the energy to even raise her arms in victory.
"I should've listened to you, Kurt," she muttered, attempting to stand up. Kurt, however, didn't hear her. Already, nearly the entire RAW roster was trying to get into the ring. Stephanie winced, and then looked at the others, all now wielding steel chairs and trying to hold them off. The brunette felt useless, standing in the middle of the ring, unable to help.
"How are we going to get her out of here?" Edge screamed to Kurt over the overhaul of noise.
Kurt shook his head as he jabbed his steel chair into Rob Conway's stomach. "I don't know…" he shouted, and his meaning was apparent. With all of the wrestlers around the ring, waiting to get their hands on her, there was no safe way to send her.
Just when a sense of helplessness began to settle over the group of six, a noise burst from the entrance. Stephanie whirled to face the steel ramp. She knew that noise!
She turned to see Stone Cold Steve Austin, driving in his ATV, flooring it down the steel ramp. "Yes!" Stephanie cried, knowing instinctively that Austin would not side with Bischoff no matter what the circumstances. Steve floored the craft, and the wrestlers wisely jumped out of the way. He drove the ATV between the barrier and the apron of the ring, clipping several wrestlers in the process.
"Jump in!" Austin screamed as he made another circle around the ring. The six in the ring scurried to the side in front of the steel ramp. Stone Cold stopped for a moment right in front of the ramp, and the six clambered on. It was a tight fit—three people in the front, and four in the back, which wasn't meant for people—but they managed it. As soon as they sat, Austin floored it, sending the wrestlers ahead diving for safety.
As they drove through the backstage area and for the parking garage, Stephanie spoke. "Steve, I can't thank you enough," she yelled over the noise.
"Thank me by getting out of here safe, and taking RAW back," he replied, jerking to a stop in front of a running limousine. "Get in and go!" he ordered. Edge reached in, carrying Stephanie out of the ATV and into the limo, knowing that they had little time to waste. As soon as the door to the limo shut, the driver slammed on the gas pedal, flying out of the arena.
While the limo drove to the directed hotel, Stephanie looked out the window. Her throbbing ankle hurt, but she tried not to dwell on it.
She was safe.
For now.
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Author's Note: I hoped you liked this chapter! Please review!