The Next Monday: 6pm est. Time: New York Stadium:

Chavo stood in front of his locker pulling out his stuff when Carlito and Chris Masters approached him suddenly.

"Hey guys….¿Que pasa?" He smiled as Chris shook his hand with a grin; Carlito however, wasn't so thrilled. "What's eating you, Carl? You run out of apples to munch on or something?"

"No…it's not that. You hear what happened to Shawn?" He looked around to make sure the coast was clear of the Show Stopper.

"No…" Chris intervened. "What, what's happened?" Carlito then told him about the supposed 'skit' that took place on Saturday. Chris and Chavo cringed as they realized what had actually taken place.

"Now, that is B.S! You darn well know that Vince and Stephanie won't use that for tonight's show….and if they do, that would be a shock all on its own." Chavo responded. The two others agreed with him. But right as one of them was about to say something, the devil himself came pouring into the room.-"Hey, Shawn, what's up with you?" He asked cautiously.

"Oh, nothing…..although I wish it was something good; my day has been a nightmare." Shawn sat down on the bench to put on his boots as the other three remained standing around him.

"What's the matter? What happened?-Hey, it can't be any worse than my day….that's for sure!" Chavo said in a humorous tone of voice, but he could tell that that wasn't going to be cheering anyone up anytime soon. Shawn glared at him with an evil look that could kill.

"You have no idea-do you?"

"No, not really…..well, hey, my weekend and today went like this, ok: My wife calls me on Friday night right as I am about to arrive home for the first time in months to tell me that she wasn't going to be home, she supposedly was going to a sick friend's house for the weekend so I wouldn't be able to see her! So I had to reschedule my weekend and I ended up staying alone in the hotel….damn people: so how bad did your weekend go?" The entire room went silent….what he had just told them wasn't really anything to complain about….but yet again that was Chavo….he was always about family matters; and if something went wrong, he would get so upset. Nonetheless, Shawn decided to answer his question.

"Well, ok this is how MY weekend has gone: I was told by Vince to go to this mall to do this skit, right? So I go there only to have all this mayhem happen around me, Candice, that sleaze, kissed me in front of the cameras! Damn well knowing that I am a happily married man! Then, my wife calls me from home and tells me that Stephanie had contacted her via cell phone in order to inform her that I got kissed by the diva and now she has her thinking that I am cheating on her with Candice! So now I have to find a way to explain that, and I swear, if the footage doesn't show up on Raw tonight….I am not going to be a happy man! So that is how MY WEEKEND has gone! Any questions?" Shawn abruptly stood up and walked out of the room with no further comment; and no one else was willing to pitch in any comments, neither.

"Damn!" Chris commented after Shawn was out of sight. "He is pissed! And I don't blame him; I would be the exact same way, too."

"Yea, you're telling me, come on….let's go to the conference room; they might have some food down there. Besides," Carlito added, "I am starved!" Without any other commenting, all three made their way out of the locker room as fast as they had come in.

Later On that Night: 11: 35pm est. Time:

As almost predicted, the WWE had not shown the promised footage from the skit that had Shawn seething with anger. Here he was, waiting to see the footage play before him upon the monitor in the locker room, but to no avail. He threw his boot across the room and screamed out loud when out of thin air, Hunter came into the room.

"Whoa!" He said as he nearly avoided being hit by the flying boot. "Shawn, what the hell is going on here?"

"I'll tell you what is going on! WHERE IS THE FOOTAGE?"

"What footage? What? Ok, I am confused….Shawn, calm down! Alright, I am listening, what are you talking about?"

"You mean to tell me, you haven't heard about it? And yet you are Stephanie's husband? He stopped to look at him briefly, and in that small amount of time, he thought he saw something in Hunter's eyes, but whatever it was, had quickly faded. He proceeded to punch the wall standing directly in front of him as Hunter attempted to answer him.

"No, I mean, I don't know, maybe if you would tell me…"

"I'll tell you alright, these holy sons of guns promised me that the skit I was apart of this past weekend would air tonight, why isn't it? You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that damn Vince is planning something behind my back, and whatever it could be, might have to do with my family! But yet again, who's to say I don't?" He put his fists down as Hunter slowly made his way toward him.

"Shawn, ok, it will be alright….trust me…..if Vince promised you something, he is gonna deliver. Maybe they simply misplaced it somewhere…."

"They misplaced it within one day?" Shawn asked ironically. "I highly doubt that! And also, how has Ric been? I haven't been able to see him in like over two days; I pray he is alright…." He didn't think Hunter would fall for that one.

"Yea…." Hunter responded, "So do I…..I also hope he's alright…." Shawn looked at him in shock….he had actually fallen for it! How could he miss the slight smirk on his pal's face? …..there was no telling how Hunter truly felt at that time, but Shawn didn't really want to know, he knew how his 'buddy' was with other people and fellow wrestlers all too well.

"Yea…..I bet you would hope for his well being huh? Just like you hoped for my 'well being' almost four years ago at Summer Slam, right? Come on, Hunter; don't think I am falling for that one! I know you all too well for that kind of trick."

"I honestly don't know what the hell you are talking about, Shawn…." Hunter squinted his eyes at the Show Stopper, as if playing innocent.

"Oh! I think you do….and deep down, you know it….don't you?" Shawn was now standing face to face with his best friend and had yet to back down. He wasn't going to let him in on his knowledge yet; he was going to save that for later.

"Ok, Shawn, whatever. Listen, I am out of here, ok? I will see you later…" Hunter hurried out the door, without a single trace. Although Shawn did have a strong suspicion, he really didn't have any solid proof to back up his claim. It would only be a matter of time, however, before one of his claims, would become fact….he did know more than he had actually been aware of…..

In the Hall, a few Moments Later:

'Does he actually know? No, he can't…..he's too oblivious and heartless to know!' Hunter thought as he headed toward Stephanie's secretive office. He made his way through the door, to see his wife chatting away on her cell phone. Once seeing him behind her, she snapped her phone shut.

"Hey, honey…..so, what is wrong with Shawn? I heard some carrying on earlier tonight?"

"Oh you know, that skit idea….he still thinks we should show it….." He smirked as he kissed her.

"He is so not getting his wish then, now is he?" Stephanie paused for a moment to ponder over that last complete phrase; she had the camera crew bring cameras along for the skit, but had told them right before the actual shooting began to keep the equipment off, therefore there was to be no footage for the damn scrawny man to trace. "And don't worry, the 'footage' will come up shortly…..and his wife will get to see it for herself first hand if she doesn't believe me already….."

"You're serious? When?"

"Oh, I have the file right here…" she handed him the folder for him to see. He looked through the photos Shane had snapped one by one before replacing them back into the folder's flaps. "Say, tomorrow or the next day, Vince has a flight set up to pay Mrs. Mommy of the heavens a little visit, and let me tell you, if everything goes well, it will be one she'll never forget!" they celebrated as all of Hunter's questions and worry suddenly dissipated into thin air…..

Tuesday Afternoon: at the Hotel in New York City:

"What do you mean, you haven't contacted her yet?" Vince asked his nervous secretary at the front desk over the phone.

"Listen, sir, you didn't give me the final say….."

"Don't give me that FINAL SAY SH--! I told you to contact Rebecca, and god damn, I told you to do it as soon as possible! And you simply didn't do it, did you? You thought you could outsmart the boss, didn't ya?"

"I'm so sorry sir, honestly….really I am…I'll make it up to you…" The secretary pleaded over the line; but Vince would have none of it! If his secretary couldn't carry out one simple task, then she was done for….

"You know what? You stinking bitch, if you can't do that for me, then what can you do?"

"I…..I…..don't know sir…."

"Exactly, so you know, come to think of it, don't bother coming either tomorrow or the next day or even a week after that, because hear my words and hear them loud and crystal clear: YOU'RE FIRRRREEDDD!" Vince then slammed down the receiver, hoping he would never have to see that dumb woman's face ever again! He sighed once more: 'Who to call, who to call….' He glanced down at the room's desk and saw his daughter's name and number scribbled on a small piece of paper, and that is when he knew just who to call…..

"Hey Stephanie, honey……can you do me a slight favor?"

"Yea sure dad, what do you need?"

"I uhh…need you to call Mrs. Rebecca Hickenbottom and set up an appointment…." The silence on the other line said it all; he'd be damned!

"What are you suggesting, dad? Are you saying that you didn't set up that appointment yet? You don't even have the flight planned out, do you?"

"No, that damn secretary didn't do her damn job; that bitch! But you will, right sweetie?" He asked in a sympathetic tone: this should get to her!

"Yea….I guess I should…..I'll call you back in say 20 minutes….I'll call her and tell her to be expecting you…."

"That's my girl……I will hear from you then…..and oh! Thanks so much again sweetie….you know I love you…."

"Yes, I know you do, daddy…..and you're welcome, I'll talk to you in a few…." He heard the dial tone click in his ears and at that very instant he knew; the second phase of his plan was now getting underway!

A Restaurant somewhere in New York City: 3pm est. Time:

Stephanie hung up the phone and slammed it down upon the table in front of her. Hunter then looked back at her.

"He didn't do it, did he?" Hunter asked.

"No, he didn't…..that damn secretary didn't do her job…..that damn bitch!" For a moment, she thought she had sounded just like her father; but that in itself, was the best reward of being a McMahon of all. She leaned her head back and attempted to hold in the urge to scream as she told her husband the rest of the plan. "Yea, now I have to call that slut personally to make an appointment with her; it's a good thing Shawn gave me her cell phone number in case of emergencies…."

"So, let me get this straight. He has yet to set up the second phase of this plan officially? Much less fly all the way over to San Antonio to meet her? Wow, he has got to be going nuts…..I would hate to be anyone getting in his way that's for damn sure." He saw her open her phone once again, and another creepy smile came across his face; it was good to be married to the boss's daughter; that he knew for sure.

"Yes, Rebecca, can I ask you a question?"

"Yea, sure, is it my husband? Oh my goodness….what's happened to him this time, is he alright?" Stephanie rolled her eyes once again.

"No! Rebecca he's just fine….he'll be wrestling here shortly…..come time for the Royal Rumble….but I do have a favor of you to ask….where are you right now?"

Rebecca heard her husband's words echoing through her mind, should she tell her the exact location? Her instincts however were too much to bare, so she decided to go with it……it may not be anything bad any how….

"I uh, am at the hotel…..why?" Stephanie's eyes grew huge…..the hotel? There was to be no way in hell….

"Which one?"

"The one right here in Rutherford…..I have been here for the past few days….." Oh my god! Stephanie thought, she had come up here to visit her damn husband. Trying to keep her cool, she responded.

"Oh really, so you're right here in Rutherford….?" She peered at Hunter who had nearly choked on his spaghetti, obviously with the news catching him off guard. "Listen, I know it's going to be hard to understand this, but my father, Vince McMahon, needs to see you as soon as possible….it's rather urgent…."

"Yes, what for?"

"He thinks you should see something we caught on camera……and it has to do with your husband, Shawn." The line went silent for a few moments…

"Ok, where can I meet him?" Stephanie sighed as she pulled out her father's hotel room phone number from her pocket….this was going to be good!

"Ok? Well thank you so much for your time, Rebecca, and I promise…..we do have something of your husband that we think you should know about." After that she ended the call. "It's a done deal! We're in!"

"You're serious? We're actually pulling it off?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

Hunter shook his head. "I was just asking, it's just so hard to believe that she is falling for this just as easily as her husband is…..that's all."

"Are you suggesting that our plan may not work? Are you having doubts in me, Hunter?"

"No, not at all! I am just saying that this plan is working off way too smoothly……and you know Shawn…"

"Right, but honey….you know Shawn is a changed man, and Rebecca made him that way…..once he loses his grip on her, there is no telling what our plan is capable of…." They both grinned; they both knew she was right after all.

"I like your thinking…..how about we have a toast to that?" He then raised his glass…..and they made a toast for the good luck their clever plan would bring in the years to come….

Back at another Hotel in New York City: Five minutes later:

"Rebecca, sweetie, what's the matter?" Shawn asked as he picked up the telephone.

"Honey….Stephanie McMahon just called here, and she said she had something to show me concerning you…."

"Stephanie? Are you sure?"

"As the lord as my witness…..honey what is going on? Are you up to something?" He knew instantly what she was talking about…..and he also knew one other thing for certain…Hunter was in on this so called 'plan' of the McMahon's due to Shawn listening in on his and Stephanie's conversation the night before. And yet neither one of them had any clue he had done so.

"Honey, I am not up to anything….and whatever you do, don't believe ANYTHING McMahon tells you! He is a fraud, and he will lie his ass off to get anything he wants, and somehow, now I am in the line of fire…and if he has his way, you will be, too."

"What do you mean, I will be too?"

"Just don't worry about that, but if any of the McMahon's come down to the hotel…..you can let them in, but don't let their words screw with your head, alright…..?" He only hoped he was right….

"Ok, ok…..will do, I love you…." And as soon as she had picked up, she had ended the call. What was that all about? Were the McMahon's actually going to be getting into Shawn's personal life, including playing mind games with his wife? And it just figures they would try to pull off something like this, as long as Vince got his way….that was all that mattered anymore.

Back in McMahon's hotel room: 3:30pm est. Time:

"Dad, do I have some news for you!" Stephanie exclaimed…..Vince listened in wearily as the message his daughter told him filled his ear. The plan was now in its second phase…..Shawn was going to be paying no matter what happened from now on…..

Hotel in Rutherford: two hours later:

"Honey, don't play with the toothpaste! That's not food!" Rebecca demanded to her son, Cameron…..who was always getting into things. And at that very moment, a knock was heard at her door. "Oh yes, sir, come in….." the man who stood directly in front of her, was none other than Vince Kennedy McMahon himself. She shuttered as she closed the door behind him.

"Why if it's none other than Michaels' lovely wife……should I sit down?" she motioned to him the chair in the corner of the room and he sat down readily…..while handing her the manila folder, of course.

"What-what is this?" She asked, pointing down to the folder in her hands.

"For this, Mrs. Hickenbottom, I think you should really sit down for….."

"Is it that bad?" What could be that bad about her husband? She questioned herself silently.

"Yes, it is…." He saw her open up the folder to see its contents…..he then saw her face grow pale, then white; all the while trying not to smile at the sight before him.

"Oh my goodness…..who is she? And what is she doing with my husband?" Tears began to build in her eyes as Vince tried to explain it to her.

"Mrs. Hickenbottom, I am so sorry……I had a feeling that he wasn't being so faithful to you….so I uh, hired a private investigator to find out for sure, and this-this is what came out of it….oh, I am so awfully sorry…..if there is anything I can do…" He placed his hand squarely on her shoulder; he wanted to cry just by looking at her.

"No….no," she said as she shook her head quickly, "it's alright really, I should have known…..it must be really tempting for him, you know…..are you sure that this is legit? You know, maybe he was only trying to help…"

"No, Mrs. Hickenbottom, I am so sure that this is legit…..Candice is her name…..and she has been trying to hit on your husband for quite a while now…..and according to these photos that are in your grasp……well, I think you know your husband better than I, Mrs. Hickenbottom…"

"No, I uh, am sure I do, just call me Rebecca, it would be so much easier that way….."

"Yes, yes of course…..do you need a tissue or anything?"

"No, no I don't….but how long has this been going on? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Now, Rebecca, you hopefully would know that when a guy like that cheats on his faithful, loving wife, he isn't necessarily going to be so honest…..so I hope you forgive me….." She attempted to stand up as Vince helped her.

"I know I should have known……he still has the old Shawn Michaels buried inside of him, doesn't he? Tell me this, does he really care for me at all, Vince?" She asked as tears began to fall from her face.

"Rebecca, with all due respect, I think deep down inside you know that answer….I can't answer that for you…..as for the old Shawn, yes he does, in fact he has changed drastically…..you know, with Candice….I knew he was acting odd around her…..so I figured that being the honest, trustworthy boss that I am, I would let you know what was really going on…." She placed the manila folder upon the bed as she whipped away some more tears that couldn't help but fall. Vince, seeing this, gave her one final hug.

"Thanks Mr. McMahon, for uh, letting me know about this, and I am sure that the truth will come out one way or the other….." Her son came up to her to ask her what was wrong; to this, Vince decided it was time to take his leave.

"Yes, I am sure it will……perhaps I should go now……maybe some good will come out of this…..and Rebecca, just try to remember," he said as he made his way out the door, "a lovely honest woman such as yourself doesn't deserve to be treated like that……I hope you understand…."

"Yes, yes I certainly do….good day, Mr. McMahon….." She closed the door behind him and began to weep; she should have known, she told herself…..she should have known…..

On the Highway to Rutherford: 4pm est. Time:

Shawn slammed on the steering wheel as the traffic built up around him. He could kill his boss if he wanted to, but the lord and his honest persona wouldn't let him do such a thing. He was almost at the hotel…..and hopefully, his boss hadn't gotten to his wife before he could. Worried, he called his wife's cell one more time, and no answer came on the other line. "Damn it!" he screamed to himself. Finally, ten minutes later he was there, standing in front of the hotel room door, hoping the lord had somehow prevented Vince from doing his dirty work.

"Honey, it's me….." He knocked, and no sooner a tearful woman answer his call.

"Shawn…..who is this?" She handed him the pictures through the doorway. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Honey, I, I can explain…."

"THEN DO! Because I cannot believe how my husband, who had spoken so well of me inside his book, and has loved me and my kids for so long could do such a thing to me!" Shawn shuttered…..how could he explain this?

"I was set up, look, ok; it was Vince's idea to…"

"To…what? To actually come forth and tell me the truth….is this what you didn't want me to see? Is this why you had told me NOT to listen to him? Answer me Shawn!" But instead, Shawn looked away, obviously deep in thought. "You know what? I should have known…..your work is just too tempting for you isn't it? Well let me tell you something, I wish you and your new girlfriend good luck in the future because I want you out!" She folded her arms across her chest…..while Shawn's face grew pale….

"But honey….you cant do this to me!"

"Yes I can, and I just did….so say goodbye to your son…..because you are not going to be seeing him from now on!" Shawn held back tears as his son came to the door to look up at him.

"Mommy, Daddy, why are you two fighting?"

"Oh, buddy," Shawn bent down to his level holding back tears, "we aren't fighting, its just that…" He looked up at his wife who was still glaring down at him with tears in her eyes, "daddy has to go for now…..just always remember that I will always love you and that I will miss you…..take care of mommy for me…" He hugged him one last time, and turned his back to leave the hotel's confining space. After his father was gone out of sight, Cameron screamed after his father.

"Daddy! Daddy! Don't go! Mommy, don't let him go! Daddy!" The child burst into tears as Shawn tried his hardest not to turn back around and take him with him; he could hear his screams and cries from all the way down the hall, and as he heard them, his heart shattered into pieces……pieces that may never again be put back together…..

Author's Note: Am I doing well so far? Let me know what you think? I know this was a long chapter……but I hope you enjoyed….