Notes: hands out tissues to readers and Jules. It's been a long ride and we are done. There will be an epilogue but we are done.
Shane's Decision
I was sitting in the back waiting for RAW to start. Though I had slept about three hours last night I was pretty energized for this RAW. The trials were finally over and Vince and Stephanie were locked away for a long time along with HHH. Jeff Hardy got a smaller sentence. It was sort of a celebration. Shane was doing a live feed from Nitro from Nassau on Long Island. But I was not far away from there. I was at Madison Square Garden
Backstage was crowded. I was sandwiched between my father and Megan. David was sitting on the other side of dad and Tatem was sitting next to Megan with Ted next to her. Misha had chosen to sit on my lap. I was glad David chose not to bring his boys. It was also crowded because every now and then someone would come over and say something to dad. I saw the same thing happening with Owen and Steve and their families. My mother and Jason were talking to Steve and Debra.
And yet I didn't know why we were all backstage at RAW. All my dad would say was it was a surprise. I don't know if I like surprises anymore. Whatever the surprise was dad thought we should all be there.
"Uncle Danny?" Misha asked breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"I'm hungry. Can we go back to that room with food?"
I knew she was talking about the room with the buffet table. I looked over at Tatem who nodded. "Sure. We have to make it quick though."
We walked into the room with the buffet table. There were a few wrestlers in there that looked at us and then went back to talking. I was watching Misha take some food when someone said, "What? No dress this time?"
Shit. I thought as I turned around. Looks like Vince was true to his word because Chad was there. Funny I don't remember him being at the RAW in Atlanta.
I didn't say anything just grabbed Misha and headed back to where everyone was. I certainly wasn't going to tell him off in front of my five-year-old niece. I hope whoever takes over RAW, if it's not shut down that is, fires Chad.
Nitro was on the air. "That's our cue." Dad said as everyone started walking out to the ring.
I saw some signs that weren't too nice like: Vince was framed! Vince is Innocent! Go back to hiding. I couldn't see more from where I was standing though. Dad saw them and the look on his face was rather scary. He started whispering to Uncle Eddy who looked at them and went over and talked to security. When I looked again, the signs were gone.
There were several people in the ring that I'm pretty sure weren't in the WWE. Some of them had small kids. I wonder what's going on.
Shane started to speak. "First I want to thank the families of the victims for accepting my invitation to be at RAW. Even though this was all my father's doing I feel a need to apologize for his actions. Melanie I'm sorry for what my dad did to Brian. I'd also like to say I'm sorry to Nancy, Debra, and Martha for what you went through for years thinking your husbands were dead. I was lucky and had my wife with me for the ten years I was gone. Though it did prevent my children from having a normal childhood. To the children of Steve, Owen, and Chris that also extends to you."
He stopped talking for a second. He had Marissa, Andi, Wes, and Linda in the ring with him. "I've asked many times since the trial ended what I'm going to do with WCW and WWE. It wasn't an easy decision since I had to take into consideration the amount of wrestlers that would be unemployed if I folded one of the companies. But I also had to realize that I couldn't run both companies at once."
He paused looking at dad, Steve, and Owen. "Then I remembered that there were three men who had been forced to go into hiding because of what my dad tried to do to them. And I started to realize what would be a fair decision and a fitting decision. That's why I have made this decision. WWE will not fold. It will be back and running after a brief sabbatical while the new people in charge decide what kind of changes the company needed."
New people? I wonder…
"I am giving the WWE to Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, and Owen Hart to run. I think it's only fair. I know WWE will be in good hands." There was a lot of cheering after that. So that does explain the phone call the other day. "WCW will be on Thursday for Thunder." Shane left the ring.
It was chaotic when we got the back. I couldn't even see dad because of all of the WWE wrestlers were surrounding him, Owen, and Steve. I had to agree it was fitting. I caught sight Chad leaving in the building. Boy did he look mad. He probably has already figured out that he'll be fired. I know dad, Owen, and Steve wouldn't keep him. Not after they find out who he is. He turned around and saw me. If looks could kill I'd be dead.
I saw Athena was standing with her mother and brother. I walked over to them. "Some twist huh?" I asked.
"It works." Athena said. "Wait till Vince finds out." I chucked. She had a point. He probably would have never guessed that's how things would end up. Course neither did I.