Chapter 3
Evie finished taping up Hunter's left wrist for his handicap match that night. In the other room, she could hear Randy bragging to Ric about his title belt and wanting to beat down Mick Foley. He was going on about killing another legend in the business and Ric kept egging him on. She shook her head as she secured the tape.
"What're you shaking your head for?" Hunter asked casually.
"Listening to those two," she said as she nodded towards the doorway.
Hunter grinned. "Your two favorite people," he responded, tongue-in-cheek.
"Along with Jericho and Bischoff," she picked up matter-of-factly, "and Vince and Shawn."
His grin grew bigger. "Anyone else you wanna add to that list?"
"You'll be on my shit list if you don't shut up," she replied with a little smile.
He chuckled. "I'm always on your shit list, woman. What makes now any different?"
"True, but I'm easier on you than I am on them," Evie replied as she set the tape down on the counter top.
Hunter laughed outright. "You're easy on me? You're about as easy as a nuclear war."
She teasingly smacked him on the arm. "You're pushing it, buster."
His hands reached out and pulled her up against him. She smiled as she looked into his eyes. Hunter's mouth pressed against hers briefly, not wanting to be walked in on by the other members of Evolution. As he withdrew, he noted the disappointment in her eyes.
"Hold that thought," he said huskily.
A noise at the door caused both of them to turn. Batista filled up the space with his huge form.
"If you two are finished, we got a match to warm up for," he said as he looked from Hunter to Evie and then back again as their embrace broke. "And whatever her idea for a warm up is, I'm not doing it with you, Hunter," he finished with a hint of amusement. He winked at Evie and then ducked as she threw the roll of tape at him. Grinning, Hunter followed him out.
Evie settled herself into the sofa, watching Mick Foley and Bischoff on the monitor. She was alone as Hunter, Batista and Ric had gone off to warm up for their handicap match against RVD and Shawn Michaels. As soon as they had left the room, Randy walked out as well, presumably to scout out female companionship for the night.
Mick was expounding on the fact that it was his idea to bring back Stone Cold Steve Austin along with the one million signatures that he had managed to garner from posting the petition on the internet. He stated that he had a meeting the following week to try and get Austin back, and mentioned that Austin himself would be there as well.
Bischoff simply grinned. "You know Mick, the people love you. Not as a co-GM, but as the Hardcore Legend. There was that tremendous energy you and The Rock had last week in this ring. In fact, I have a little something to show you, Mick."
Bischoff gestured at the Titan Tron and it displayed a video of Mick's rise to stardom. It showed some key moments in his career and by the time it ended, the crowd was chanting Mick's name.
"You see, Mick? The people don't want co-GM Foley; they want Hardcore Legend Mick Foley," Bischoff stated.
"Well, Eric, I have been toying around with the idea of getting in the ring for real, but when I do, it'll be under my terms and no one else's," Mick replied earnestly.
Bischoff grinned. "How about we settle things tonight with Hardcore Legend Mick Foley versus the Legend Killer, Randy Orton!" Bischoff paused as the crowd cheered. "If Orton loses, I'll resign, but if you lose Mick, you resign."
Mick thought about it for a minute and then spoke up. "Well, Eric, I have to decline, unless you give me the best referee in the business, Earl Hebner, and Evolution are banned from ringside."
Bischoff agreed, but Mick had more to add. "And you are banned from ringside as well, Eric."
"Fine, we have a deal," Bischoff agreed.
"Oh, by the way, since I've never been the Intercontinental Champ, I'm making it a title match as well," Mick stated authoritatively.
Evie rolled her eyes. From the stipulations, if Randy won or lost tonight, he'd be an absolute pain in the ass. She really was not looking forward to hearing him gloat, or whine and complain.
A few minutes into a tag team match, Evie's solitude was disrupted as Randy banged the door open and marched in. He looked around and his eyes stopped at the sight of Evie sitting on the couch.
"Where is everybody?" he asked her.
"Hunter, Batista and Ric went off somewhere to warm up for their match," Evie replied.
Randy gestured at the monitor. "Were you watching that?"
"Yes," Evie replied slowly. "Why?"
A self important grin spread across his face. "It's time for the Legend Killer to beat down another legend." He grabbed his bag and headed into the bathroom to change.
Evie let out an exasperated sigh and her attention was turned back to the monitor. She watched as Mick was shown getting ready for his match. He was talking to Shawn Michaels.
"Is it possible to wrestle one more match?" Mick asked him.
Shawn grinned. "I had only come back for one more match, yet here I am."
Mick nodded as he adjusted his shirt. "So was the moment where you beat Triple H worth all the sacrifice you've made this year?"
"Definitely worth it," replied Shawn.
"Well, hand me my flannel shirt because I have a match to wrestle," Mick stated as he held a hand out towards Shawn.
Shawn handed Mick his flannel shirt and the scene faded to be immediately replaced by a shot of the ring.
Randy stepped out of the bathroom in his wrestling gear and sat down on the far end of the sofa to watch the handicap match that was coming up next.
It started off well enough for the three members of Evolution, but the tide quickly turned when Shawn drove Ric into the ropes face forward for a roll up. Hunter hit Shawn off from the corner. Meanwhile, Ric seemed to have hit his nose on the rope and he rolled out of the ring. Batista and Hunter worked Shawn over as Ric recovered and then climbed to the top rope. He botched the fall and clipped both Hunter and Batista. Shawn was able to tag in RVD, who promptly attacked Batista. During their altercation, RVD bumped the ref and was unable to get a pin after performing a 5 Star Frog Splash. Hunter and Ric ran back in and RVD took a Pedigree from Hunter. While the ref was still down, they dragged and unconscious Batista over and draped him across and unconscious RVD. They managed to shake the ref awake and he started the count, but only made it to two as RVD kicked out.
Ric was livid and proceeded to give RVD a figure four after Batista tagged him in. They went back and forth for a few more minutes and then Ric tagged Hunter in. Hunter worked RVD's legs over. Finally RVD was able to tag Shawn in and he stood face to face with Hunter. They glared at one another for a few seconds and then Shawn shoved Hunter backwards. Hunter responded by delivering a couple chops to Shawn's chest. They locked up and danced around the canvas until Shawn broke the hold and whipped Hunter into the corner. He quickly ran up and delivered a clothesline to Hunter.
Both Batista and Ric got back in the ring, but Shawn swiftly cleared them out. He ran back and gave Hunter another clothesline and Hunter fell to the mat. Shawn climbed to the top turnbuckle and delivered an elbow drop onto Hunter, and then started tuning up the band for some Sweet Chin Music.
Meanwhile, RVD splashed Batista and Ric on the outside of the ring. While they were down, Shawn went for his move and Hunter managed to power bomb him instead. RVD kept the other two men busy on the outside and Hunter and Shawn Climbed to their feet. Shawn tried a super kick, but it was blocked. He was tossed into the opposite corner and then Hunter turned to see what was going on outside the ring. Shawn regained his strength and managed to surprise Hunter with some Sweet Chin Music anyway. He promptly covered Hunter for the win.
Randy groaned his disappointment as he stood up. "I'm going to warm up," he announced to Evie and then left the room.
She made her way down to the staging area and met Batista, Ric and Hunter on their way back. Hunter had an arm draped over Batista's shoulder and Ric was holding an ice pack against Hunter's chin.
"Is he okay?" she asked Ric tentatively.
Ric nodded. "He'll be fine. Nothing he can't shake off, right champ?" he asked as he looked at Hunter.
"Michaels is a dead man," Hunter simply stated in reply.
The group made it back to Evolution's locker room and Batista eased Hunter onto the sofa. Ric handed Evie the ice pack and he and Batista went to change. Evie sat down and held the ice pack up to Hunter's chin. His hand came up and took the place of hers.
"I'm gonna kill him," he said quietly.
"I take it you're talking about Shawn," Evie replied just as quietly.
Hunter said nothing in return. He just gave her a venomous look.
Evie switched the subject. "Are you going to change here or wait until we get back to the hotel?"
Hunter tipped his head back and adjusted the ice. "I'll change before we leave. Just give me a minute or two."
Ric and Batista came out dressed in their street clothes and sat down with Hunter and Evie to watch Randy's match against Mick Foley.
Before Mick left for the ring, he wished Shawn luck against his match with Triple H in two weeks. Hunter grinned in response. At least Mick did something right for once. Now he didn't have to bother going to Bischoff and demanding a match with Shawn.
Once Randy and Mick had been announced, Mick refused to get in the ring with his opponent. He stalled for the longest time and then he turned and walked out, leaving Randy in a state of disbelief in the ring. Randy climbed out and went looking for Mick.
The camera found Mick in his locker room, picking up his suitcase. He ran into Bischoff on his way out to the parking lot.
"You know the stipulation still stands if you walk out," Bischoff said to him.
At that point, Randy came up along side Bischoff and looked at Mick. 'What happened to our match? You brag about being the hard core legend and you walk out?"
Mick didn't answer; he just looked to the side, avoiding Randy's gaze.
Randy got right in Mick's face. "Is that a tear Mick? Is it?" he demanded. "Is Mick Foley gonna cry?" he jeered. "Ya know what, Mick? Legends don't cry; legends don't walk away." Randy continued to work himself up as Mick just quietly stood there and took it.
"Mick Foley, you're not a legend; you're a coward!" Randy exclaimed and then spit directly in Mick's face. He stood there with a smugly triumphant look on his face.
Mick said nothing at all; he simply wiped the spit from his face and turned and walked out of the arena. The monitor faded to black. In the Evolution locker room, everyone sat in stunned silence.
Finally after a minute, Hunter spoke up. "Well, I guess that's one less thing we have to worry about."
Ric shook his head slowly. "I don't know H. This could be a set up on Foley's end."
A laugh escaped Hunter. "Set up? I doubt it Ric. Foley walked out on a match. He's never going to live it down now."
Once things calmed down and Randy had returned and changed, they were all on their way back to the hotel. Of course, Randy was bragging about having taken care of another legend in the business, stating that he didn't even have to lay a hand on him. Ric encouraged him, stating that only a true legend killer could psych out an opponent enough to get them to walk out on a match like that. Their conversation continued through the ride, through the hotel lobby and into the hotel bar with Batista in tow.
Evie and Hunter waved a goodnight to the other three men and headed up to their room. Once inside, Hunter dumped his things on the floor and headed towards the bathroom.
"Need any help?" Evie asked.
"No," he grunted before swinging the door shut.
Evie promptly readied herself for bed. No sooner had she pulled the blankets up over her legs than Hunter came out of the bathroom. As he put everything away Evie made herself comfortable.
"How's your chin?" she asked casually.
Hunter shrugged in response. "Okay," he said quietly. He really wasn't in much of a mood to talk. The fact that Shawn had gotten the best of him earlier was still souring his disposition. He puttered around for a few more minutes, setting out clothes for the next day and reorganizing his suitcase.
Recognizing his mood, Evie didn't bother to carry on talking. Instead, she rolled onto her side, closed her eyes and listened to him move around. If he didn't want to talk, she wasn't going to push a conversation on him. She adjusted the pillow under her head and settled into a more comfortable position.
After a few more minutes, Hunter finally turned the light off and climbed into bed next to her. He rolled over so that he was facing her. His eyes adjusted to the dimness and he could make out the back of her slender form draped in the blanket. Tentatively, he reached a hand out and his fingers gently touched the middle of her back, wondering if she was asleep. Evie stirred slightly.
"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked softly without turning over.
"I just wondered if you were asleep yet," he said in return.
"No." She glanced over her shoulder at him. "How could I fall asleep with you making all that racket?"
Hunter chuckled a little. "Sorry. Just trying to sort things out."
Evie rolled onto her back. "It's okay. I know you're pissed about the outcome of that match."
"Not so much that. More like I'm pissed at Shawn," he replied as he reached over and ran a finger down her shoulder and then her arm.
She fought off a smile. It was the old song and dance again. She had a feeling those two would be at each others throats for the rest of their careers. "So, what are you going to do about it?" she asked.
"Whip his ass in two weeks," Hunter rumbled as he moved closer to her. A small smile appeared on his mouth. "At least one of my goals was accomplished though."
"You mean getting rid of Mick," Evie stated.
"I told you Randy would come through, didn't I?" Hunter asked in response as his arm slid across her abdomen.
"Mm hmm," she replied nonchalantly. A smile broke out when she felt his arm wind around her waist and pull her closer to him. So he wanted a cuddle; that was fine.
Hunter wrapped himself around her, nestling his face in the side of her neck. Her hair gently tickled his cheek and he breathed in her familiar scent. The knot of anger he had been feeling since the match slowly unwound and faded. He found it interesting that just touching her, drawing in her fragrance, could make him relax. She was like his own personal security blanket. He smiled at that thought as he dropped a kiss on her shoulder.
"What are you grinning for?" she asked. She'd felt the smile against her skin.
"Just comparing you to a blanket," he murmured.
She peeked at him over her shoulder. "A blanket?" she queried. "What the hell for?"
His arm pulled her closer; his long legs entwining with hers. "You're like my own personal blanket; sort of like kids carry around when they're little. Well, snuggling with you kind of reminded me of that," he explained. "My security blanket."
A giggle slipped out of Evie. "I don't know whether to be offended or amused by that," she confessed. "It's not every day I get compared to a child's blanket."
"Didn't you have one when you were little?" Hunter asked.
"Actually, I had this hideous terrycloth hat I used to wear with everything. It was bright yellow, shocking pink and white. One of my aunts had bought it for me and I wore that thing to death. My mother hated it. She used to try and hide it from me, but I'd always manage to find it."
Hunter nestled his face into the crook of her neck. "Did it have a name?"
"No. I only called it my hat." She moved her hand so her fingers could glide up and down his forearm. "Why?"
He shrugged. "Just curious," he replied. His thumb rubbed gently against her stomach. "Did you have a nickname in high school?"
Evie grinned. "Yes I did, but I'm not telling you," she teased.
"Why? Was it that bad or something?" His lips found the soft skin of her neck.
"I'm not telling you because you'll just make fun of me," she replied and then gasped softly at the touch of his mouth.
"C'mon, Evie; I won't laugh," he whispered. His hand moved from her belly to her hip and he languidly stroked the curve of her thigh and hip.
She sighed in response to his ministrations. "Okay," she relented. "When I was younger and I used to laugh really hard, it would sound squeaky, like one of those chew toys for dogs. So my best friend at the time started calling me Squeaky."
Hunter pushed back a chuckle. "You know, now that I think about it, you make a squeaking noise sometimes when we have sex. So, I guess Squeaky is a good nickname for you," he said amusedly.
She weakly protested and he broke out laughing. Her body twisted around so she could face him and her hand came up to playfully hit him. Hunter just laughed harder. Finally she stopped pummeling him.
"As long as you keep it confined to just you and me. I don't want you calling me that in public," Evie said in response. "That's all I need is that one getting out. My family would have a field day with it. Not to mention the rest of Evolution."
Hunter wiped away a few tears that had slipped out. "I promise I'll only call you that in private," he said breathlessly
She became quiet for a few minutes, and then an idea popped into her head. "Well if you're going to call me that, then I think you should get a nickname too."
"Oh yeah?" he asked. "So what's mine then?"
Evie giggled as she thought about it. He was probably going to hate it, but he'd started it. "I think I'm going to call you Bunny."
"Bunny?" he snorted. "What the hell for?"
"Because you fuck like a rabbit," she replied and then collapsed into a fit of laughter.
Hunter grimaced good-naturedly. He supposed that one bad nickname deserved another. And it did have some truth to it. "All right. I guess I deserve that one," he said finally.
"Damn right you do… Bunny," Evie stated when she'd finished laughing.
"Oh hush up, Squeaky," he growled as he pulled her as close as he could. "And you don't repeat that name in public either," he warned.
She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a mischievous look. "Oh I don't know. I think that one deserves to be repeated in public."
"You do and you're dead, Mackenzie," he rumbled mock threateningly as his arms tightened around her.
"Promises, promises," Evie retorted.
He gently kissed the column of her neck again and felt her shiver in response. "Go to sleep woman," he said as he closed his eyes.
She sighed and settled herself more comfortably in his arms as her eyes slipped shut.
Christmas was rapidly approaching, and Evie managed to find some time to finish up her holiday shopping between house shows that week. With that to be accomplished, as well as checking up on things at her own home, she quickly became exhausted, but didn't complain. By Monday, she and Hunter were traveling out to the suburbs of Chicago for Christmas with her family. She had been slightly surprised when he accepted her invitation to spend Christmas with her. She was expecting him to go out to his parents.
He had noticed the look on her face when he said yes, and explained to her that he would rather be with her and her family than with his own. She simply acknowledged that and didn't bring it up again; if he wanted to be with her, then she wasn't going to complain.
They arrived at her parents' house the day before Christmas Eve. They spent a majority of their time sequestered in Evie's room, wrapping gifts they had bought for the family. Once they had finished, they joined her mom and dad for dinner and talking about what was going to happen over the next 72 hours. Evie had filled him in on what to expect on Christmas, as well as the extended family gathering on Boxing Day.
After her parents had gone to bed, Evie remained in the family room with the lights off and the Christmas tree lit up. She had changed into a pair of pajamas and was curled up on the sofa with an afghan. Hunter had disappeared upstairs, presumably to change into something more comfortable. She simply sat there and enjoyed the soft glow of the fairy lights on the Christmas tree.
Hunter padded back downstairs, now clad in a pair of track pants and a t-shirt. He wandered into the kitchen and took a bottle of water from the fridge and walked into the family room. The back of the couch was to the door and he saw Evie sitting there with all the lights off except for the ones from the tree.
"You know that's bad for your eyes," he said softly.
She jumped at the sound of his voice.
He came around to the side of the sofa. She had an afghan wrapped around her legs. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."
She grinned as she patted the cushion of the deep sofa. "Come sit next to me."
Hunter sat down and draped an arm across the back of the sofa. "So you're just sitting here, staring at the tree?" he asked.
"As a kid I'd sit in front of the tree for hours, just looking at it." She shrugged her shoulders. "It always gives me a sense of home; not to mention that it looks so pretty lit up like this."
He shook his head in amusement. "You were a strange little kid, weren't you?" he asked. "First a hat and now the Christmas tree."
Evie laughed quietly. "I suppose I was. Tom and Lauren would always make fun of me because I'd just stare at the tree. They'd take bets as to how long I'd sit there."
Hunter smiled. "Your weirdness aside, I think this is the first time in a long time that I'm actually going to enjoy a Christmas," he stated.
That intrigued her. "Why do you say that? Is Christmas a bad thing with your family?"
"Not so much my sister and her family, but my parents…" he trailed off and paused. "Yeah, with them it can be a bit much."
"How so?" Evie asked him.
Hunter shifted on the sofa so that he was facing her. "They're always so formal with everything. It's all so organized to the point that it gets boring. There's no spontaneity because they're so set in the way things are supposed to be." He looked at her. "There's no warmth to it, or them for that matter. That's why I like your family. They like me and make me feel welcome, even though I'm not related."
"Too bad we can't say the same about your parents," Evie stated. "Not that I'm being mean, but…"
Hunter shook his head. "No, you're right. They didn't make you feel welcome." His thoughts wandered back to when he had taken Evie home to meet his family. Neither of them had been too pleased with his choice, but his mother had been more vocal about it. She did not go out of her way to make Evie feel welcome at all. The only family member that had taken a liking to Evie had been his younger sister.
He chuckled as he remembered the look on his mother's face when Evie had told her what her father did for a living. "My mother can't understand why I've taken up with a plumber's daughter." His tone changed as he mocked his mother's voice. "There are so many acceptable young women in our circle of friends, Hunter. You'd be better off with one of them; a woman of good manners and breeding."
Evie made a face. "As if being a plumber's daughter is something to be ashamed of? I mean, my dad owns his own business. He's run it for almost 40 years, taken care of his family, provided for them and put food on the table. He always took an interest in us and went out of his way to spend time with us…"
"Well, I'm not ashamed of you," Hunter picked up. "And neither is your family, so who cares what my parents think?"
She snuggled up to his side and his arm came around her shoulders. "I would hope you weren't ashamed of me Helmsley. Otherwise, I'd be kicking your ass all over the place."
He chuckled. "Nah, I like you. I think I'll keep you," he said as his arm wrapped around her tighter.
"You like me for my family," Evie joked as she gently prodded him in the side with a finger. "C'mon, 'fess up to it."
"Hey, I liked you before I even met your family, so don't start pulling that crap with me, woman," he replied as he jerked away from her finger.
Evie leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Oh, you're such a tough guy, aren't you?" she murmured in his ear.
In response, his mouth met hers and he felt her melt against him. Her tongue and lips moved in time with his as the kiss intensified and her fingers curled into his hair, pulling him closer. His hands splayed against her back as he lowered her to the cushions.
She broke the kiss and looked up at him. "What are you doing?" she asked with a hint of amusement.
Hunter smiled down at her. "Well, I figured since we won't be sharing a bed for next few nights, I might as well take advantage of what I've got right here."
"In my parents' house? I feel like I'm in high school again," she joked.
"The couch is big enough for the two of us," Hunter said as he moved to cover her body with his own.
She laughed softly as she felt his weight pushing her down into the deep cushions. "I don't think you want to get busted by my dad, do you?" she asked.
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Thanks; that really ruined the mood there, Evie," he said as he shifted so that he was lying on his side with his back to the back of the sofa and facing her.
Her hand caressed his cheek, feeling the roughness of his beard growing back in. "You didn't shave today."
"It's my vacation; I don't have to shave," he protested. "Besides, I know you like the feel of my beard on your skin. Especially in certain spots," he stated intimately. A faint color stained her cheeks and he chuckled. "Nice to know I can still make you blush."
"You can make me do a lot of things," she whispered meaningfully.
A mischievous smile appeared on his lips. "Yes, I can; I can make you squeak."
She raised an eyebrow. "Is that so, Bunny?" she asked, rising to the challenge.
He held her gaze for a few more seconds before laughter started to rumble in his chest. Her mouth twitched into a grin as she watched his face contort in amusement.
Hunter pulled her as close as he could. "I love you," he stated with humor.
"I know," she replied simply. Her fingers traced his lips as he fell silent. Carefully, she leaned in and kissed him gently.
Christmas passed and Hunter survived yet another holiday with the extended Mackenzie clan. Evie jokingly told him that after a few more, he'd be a veteran. Truthfully, Hunter had enjoyed spending the time with both her immediate as well as her extended family. He told Evie that he was looking forward to next Christmas.
Once the holidays were finished, it was back to work. That Monday, Shawn faced Hunter for the World Heavyweight Championship and Booker T faced Randy for the Intercontinental Championship. Things were a bit tense backstage for some people as the board was meeting that very evening to decide Stone Cold Steve Austin's role in the company. Eric Bischoff was especially nervous regarding that decision. He had tolerated Austin when the man was co-GM and was praying that the board would not reinstate him to any position on RAW.
As the show progressed, Vince McMahon argued the fact that there was simply no place for Austin in the company anymore. He stated that Austin did big things for the WWE, but you cannot live in the past. What was best for the fans and everyone concerned was that Austin not return to the company.
Austin showed up in the parking lot of the arena in his pick up truck, waiting to hear from the board of directors. He sat there calmly, drinking beer and watching his cell phone.
Meanwhile, Randy retained his title with a victory over Booker T; much to the great delight of both Randy Orton and Evolution. He returned to the locker room with a smugly triumphant grin on his face.
Hunter grumbled as the monitor showed a second clip of Shawn beating him for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series in 2003. He was looking forward to his match with Shawn so he could exact a little payback for that fiasco of a match two weeks ago. That it was a title match, just further fueled his determination to beat Shawn into the canvas.
Once more the monitor showed Titan Towers, where Linda McMahon had just argued on Austin's behalf. She stated that the WWE listens to its fans, and the fans had spoken. Jonathan Coachman asked if this had to do with her vendetta against Eric Bischoff. She replied that Austin would be there to balance the power of Eric, who did things without any rhyme or reason.
Silently, Evie agreed with Linda. She'd had her run-ins with the General Manager and they had left her with quite distaste for the man. She continued watching the show as Hunter changed for his match and then he and Ric disappeared, leaving her with Batista and Randy.
Batista sat at the other end of the sofa, watching the monitor. Randy was in the bathroom, primping in front of the mirror. Evie rolled her eyes as the six women came out for a Happy Holidays Match. Lita, Trish and Stacy were pitted against Molly Holly, Miss Jackie and Victoria. All the women were in holiday lingerie. Evie noted a vocal reaction from Batista when Lita had come strutting out in the most revealing outfit of the six women. She suppressed a grin and refrained from making any observation. Chances were he hadn't realized he'd even made a noise. The match was short and ended with Trish pinning Victoria for the win.
The monitor switched to the parking lot. Austin had gotten the phone call he'd been waiting for. The board voted him back on RAW as the co-GM. Austin grew livid, and claimed that wasn't what he wanted. He told them to take their job and shove it before he drove off.
"One less thing to worry about," Batista commented as he draped an arm across the back of the sofa.
"I take it you didn't like Austin either," Evie stated as she looked at him.
Batista shrugged. "I didn't care for him much." He grinned. "But he sure as hell could get under Hunter's skin."
Evie laughed in response. "Who couldn't get under his skin?"
Randy came out, mumbled something to Batista about talking to Bischoff and left the room.
Batista shook his head. "Like he's going to talk to Bischoff. More like he's going to see who he can maneuver into his hotel room tonight."
Evie said nothing. Batista knew she didn't care for Randy. Not that he blamed her. The guy treated her with minimum respect because of Hunter.
They both turned their attention to the monitor as Hunter and Shawn's match started. The crowd was roaring their appreciation and Shawn made his entrance. The fact that they were in San Antonio made this all the more exciting for him. With the hometown crowd behind him, Shawn was on fire during the first half of the match. He dished out what Hunter gave him and then some. He countered everything Hunter threw at him.
Finally, Hunter managed to throw Shawn over the top turnbuckle to the outside. Shawn fought his way back into the ring, but Hunter had control. Apparently Shawn had hurt his back when he landed outside the ring, and Hunter made sure to take advantage of that by pummeling his back with closed fists. The two men ended up outside the ring again and Hunter tossed Shawn into the steel ring steps. He rolled Shawn back into the ring and tried to pin him, but only got a two count.
The two men went back and forth for a while, with Hunter continuing to work Shawn's back over. Once again, Hunter managed to toss Shawn out of the ring. Shawn fought his way back up and climbed to the top turnbuckle, but he got kicked in the gut on the way down. Hunter's Pedigree was reversed into a back body drop and both men were down. The ref started counting to ten, but both managed to get to their feet. Shawn hit a spine buster on Hunter and literally fell into Hunter's crotch head first.
In the locker room, Batista sucked in a breath and cringed in reaction to what had just happened. He glanced at Evie. "Looks like your night might be ruined," he said with a little amusement.
Evie flipped him off in response without taking her attention from the match. He simply chuckled and turned his attention back to the monitor.
Somewhere along the way, the ref is knocked down hard by Hunter and Shawn attempted some Sweet Chin Music, but it was blocked into a DDT. Hunter decked Shawn with the title belt, but the count was too slow and Shawn managed to get a shoulder up. Shawn reversed a Pedigree into an attempted Boston Crab, but Hunter kicked him back into the ref.
Bischoff ran down to revive the ref as a steel turnbuckle is exposed. Shawn reverses Hunter into it headfirst. Shawn falls on top of Hunter, but the ref was still out. Bischoff gets in the ring and slowly counts, but Hunter managed to get his shoulder up. Shawn backed Hunter up into the corner and delivered ten punches. Another near fall was counted but Hunter kicked out in time.
Hunter got enough momentum to go to the second rope, but ate a boot from Shawn. Hunter tried an Irish whip but Shawn moved enough to kill the inertia of the blow. When Hunter charged Shawn again, he took another boot to the face from Shawn. Shawn fell on top of Hunter and this time Bischoff counted one, two and three.
But after the match, Bischoff declared Hunter the winner, stating that both men had their shoulders down, so the champion retained his title. By this time, Ric had climbed into the ring to assist Hunter up. Shawn got more than a little pissed at Bischoff's announcement and attacked both Bischoff and Ric.
Bischoff managed to recover and he retreated along with Ric and Hunter. The scene faded as Shawn leaned over the top rope shouting at Bischoff; his face contorted in anger.
"Shit," Evie muttered as she stood up.
"What?" Batista asked.
She looked over at him. "Shawn is definitely going to be gunning for Hunter now…" she trailed off.
Batista nodded. "True, but it's not like he can't handle it."
"Yeah, but I'm never going to hear the end of it," Evie stated as she started gathering things up. "This is not going to be pretty," she said as she zipped up the bag for her laptop.
Ric and Hunter burst into the locker room with Randy trailing behind them. Hunter sat down heavily on the sofa, clutching his title in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.
"I have to say one thing for Bischoff," Ric said, "He made the right decision when he made you the winner, champ." His hand fell on Hunter's shoulder.
Hunter nodded in response, still trying to catch his breath. "And that's going set things up for a rematch. And I'll prove to Shawn again exactly who the champion is around here. I've beat everyone that's been put in my path and I can do it again." He heaved himself off the sofa and tottered into the bathroom to change.
Ric grabbed another shirt from his bag and quickly changed into it. The one he had been wearing had been torn by Shawn. "I'll tell you one thing, Shawn Michaels will definitely get what's coming to him," he said to no one in particular.
The following week, Eric Bischoff set up a Last Man Standing for the Royal Rumble between Hunter and Shawn.
Hunter stood in the ring with Bischoff. "Bischoff, I have beaten everyone that's been put in my path and I can do it again. The issue with Shawn is a done issue and I've proven that I am the greatest."
At that point, Shawn made his way out to the ring. He climbed in, took the mic from Hunter and raised it to his mouth. "I want to see you prove you are the greatest one more time, Hunter." He looked around at the crowd. "I want to see you prove it to all the fans, that you are indeed, the greatest." He moved so that he was standing eye to eye with Hunter.
Bischoff quickly announced the match for the Royal Rumble as the two men stared one another down. Finally Shawn backed away, but before he could get too far, Hunter seized the opportunity and quickly Pedigreed Shawn and then posed over him in victory.
In an interview with the Coach the week after that, Hunter and Shawn got down to the real reasons behind their feud.
"You know Shawn, as much fun as we had in the past, you were always holding me down," Hunter stated. "It was always about you. It was always about you getting that title, or all the attention of the fans. You were always the one on top and I was the one holding you up."
Hunter continued. "My success while you were out with your back ate at you, didn't it Shawn? It's jealously, plain and simple. Now I am the one with the gold; I'm the one on top of the mountain and it just eats away at you."
"In the history of this sport, Shawn, there are only one or two that were as good as Shawn Michaels, but as good as you are, I am just that much better," he concluded.
Shawn smirked at his opponent. "As good as you are Hunter, the Last Man Standing match may come down to one second, but it will be enough to determine who the better man was."
Shawn adjusted his position, watching Hunter move warily out of the way. "In reality, it's here one second-" he moved swiftly and delivered a super kick to Coach, "the next, it's gone." He stepped back, keeping his eye on Hunter. "I'll see you at the Royal Rumble."
Hunter waited until Shawn had disappeared behind the curtain before leaving the ring. He pushed through the curtain and immediately received a blow to the midsection and was then shoved to the floor. Shawn wasted no time and began kicking the champion while he was down. Hunter groaned in protest as Shawn's foot connected with his stomach. He clutched his stomach and tried not to vomit. Shawn pulled him up by the front of the shirt and then delivered a right hook to Hunter's face. He continued to pummel the World Heavyweight champion. Hunter managed to lad a few blows before he felt some of the trainers breaking up the scuffle. They pried the two men apart and Shawn struggled to get one last blow in, but gave up as they dragged him farther away from Hunter.
Hunter staggered a bit and two of the trainers helped him back to Evolution's locker room. As they pushed the door open, Ric let out a curse and rushed over to help Hunter to the sofa. Hunter pushed the trainers away when they tried to check him, stating that he was all right.
Once they had left, Ric spoke up. "What the hell happened champ? Who did this?"
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Who the hell do you think it was, Ric?" he demanded.
"Damn that Shawn Michaels!" Ric exclaimed. It took all of two seconds for him to work himself into an agitated state. He tapped Batista and Randy on the shoulder. "Let's go find him and remind him who he's messing with!"
"Ric!" Hunter shouted, but Ric wasn't listening. "Ric!" he bellowed before Ric could open the door.
Ric paused and turned around. "What? We're gonna go teach HBK a lesson he'll never forget!"
"Drop it Ric," Hunter stated. He shakily sat up on the sofa. "He'll be expecting it."
"But champ-" Ric protested.
"I said drop it," Hunter stated a bit more forcefully. "There will be plenty of opportunities later."
Ric held his hands up in surrender. "Okay H, okay. We'll let it go. For now."
Hunter looked around the room and noticed that Evie was missing. "Where's Evie?" he asked.
Batista shrugged. "She had a phone call and stepped out for some privacy."
"How long ago was that?" Hunter asked him. If Evie was still out in the arena, there was every possibility that Shawn might attack her as well, just to get under Hunter's skin a little more.
"I don't know. Maybe about fifteen minutes ago." He caught the look on Hunter's face. "I wouldn't worry, man. She's capable of taking care of herself."
Hunter thrust a finger at Batista. "Go find her; now," he commanded.
Batista slipped out the door in search of Hunter's errant personal assistant. He headed towards catering. Evie usually would walk there during the course of the evening to pick up a bottle of water or juice. Before he had even gotten to the end of the hallway, he saw her coming towards him. Sure enough, she had a bottle of water in one hand and her cell phone in the other. He raised a hand to get her attention. She met him halfway down the hall.
"What's up?" she asked brightly.
One of his eyebrows shot up. "Your boss is concerned about your well-being," he replied dryly.
"Why would he be concerned? He knows nothing's going to happen to me," Evie said in an exasperated tone.
Batista took her arm and steered her back towards the locker room. "Shawn jumped Hunter backstage after their interview. Hunter wants to make sure you're not going to be the next target."
Evie allowed him to guide her down the hall. "Is Hunter okay?" she asked quietly.
"A little bruised, but, yeah, he's okay," Batista replied.
They entered the room and found the other three members waiting. Evie noted the expression on Hunter's face and steeled herself for his tirade. Surprisingly enough, he didn't bring her absence up. He simply said that they should be on their way out of the arena before anything else occurred.
Once they were back in their hotel room, Hunter disappeared to fill the ice bucket. When he returned, Evie was on the phone with someone. He put the ice bucket down and grabbed a towel from the bathroom. He half-listened and watched as Evie continued her conversation. Quickly he prepared an ice compress and held it up to the cheek that Shawn had landed the right hook on.
When Evie glanced at him, he mouthed "Who is it?" at her. She shook her head indicating that she didn't want to be interrupted. Hunter waited for her to finish.
"Well, I'll look into flights and see what I can get for tomorrow or Wednesday." Evie paused as she listened to the person. "Yes, as soon as I find out, I'll let you know. Thanks Linda," she said and then disconnected the call.
Hunter spoke up again. "What's going on?"
"Linda wants me to fly out to Stamford as soon as possible. She said she has something to discuss with me," Evie replied.
"Any idea what it is?" Hunter asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
Evie shrugged. "She wouldn't tell me over the phone. She just said that it's important that I come out there and talk with her about this; whatever 'this' is," she responded as she set her phone down on the bedside table. She looked at him. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said gruffly. "Nothing broken, but a hell of a lot will be bruised by morning." His hand brushed across his stomach. "Good thing I didn't eat before going out to the ring."
"He hit you in the stomach?" Evie asked.
Hunter nodded. "And then he kicked me in the stomach when I was down." He adjusted the ice pack.
Evie noticed and motioned for him to move it. When he did, she gasped involuntarily at the reddened flesh. "That's going to be one hell of a bruise too," she commented.
"Don't remind me," Hunter stated sarcastically.
"What happened?" she asked.
Hunter filled her in on what had transpired in the ring as well as backstage. Her anger at Shawn grew as Hunter recounted the story for her. It seemed Shawn was still out to prove something to Hunter. She wouldn't be surprised if Shawn approached her about Hunter again in the near future.
She spoke up when he was finished. "You know, you really need to beat his ass into that canvas at the Royal Rumble. I'm getting real tired of this shit."
Hunter managed a weak smile. "You're getting tired of it?" That got a laugh out of her. "This time, I'm going to make sure he doesn't walk out of that damn ring."
She positioned herself between his legs and leaned down. "That's my man," she whispered before giving him a gentle kiss. "Kick his ass," she said softly as she pulled back.
Hunter grinned at her as he dropped the ice pack onto the bed. "Oh don't worry, I will," he stated before pulling her down on top of him.
A/N: I know. I know. Finally! After 2 months it showed up! Woooo! Anyway, just putting in a bit more on the Evie/Hunter relationship. A little playfulness, a little seriousness. Also trying to hustle the plot along a bit quicker as well without losing too much. That's where I was having the writers block. This is where reality takes a hike (in Austin's situation). The situation with Shawn losing the title will come back to haunt Bischoff and Hunter down the line.
Just a reminder (because someone asked me if I was writing actual character or real life) that this is in WWE character. That is why Hunter's parents reacted the way they did towards Evie. I am basing them on Hunter's character when he first came to WWE; the arrogant blueblood thing. I know that his actual parents are not like that, from what I've read about them. Just keep in mind, that those people are not based on his real life parents.
Hope you liked it. Hope it was worth the wait. If not, I'm sure you'll let me know. Don't be afraid to criticize the writing. Please. But don't be a complete wanker about it either. Constructive criticism gets a much better response than flames. Again, anything out of whack, let me know. My proof reader (or beta) has moved out of state for a new job and hasn't the time to check things over for me at this point.
By the way, I revised (yes, again!) the ending to ATR. I finally managed to come up with something better than what I had there before. And before anyone points it out, yes, I do know there's some punctuation missing. For some reason, when I edited the chapter, including the punctuation, and downloaded it to replace what I had up, the punctuation vanished in some spots. If any one knows how to rectify it, please email me and let me know.