Note: This chapter was sponsored by DarkFox and DarlaKane. Thanks guys for your comments and challenges. DarkFox, one thing you asked for was the HHH vs HBK match, but that's being left for the second to last or last chapter. But the other two things you asked for are in this chapter.

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Part Twenty

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Torrie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She had been sitting uncomfortably on the hospital chair for a few hours until Devlan, in the inexplicable adult-like behaviour that she had come to adore, had invited her to sit on his bed next to him. She was amazed that someone so young had the reserves of strength that the little boy had shown her, not to mention that he seemed to be far wiser that his years suggested, even if he still retained his childlike way of delivering it. He was Shawn's nephew all right. She could see that, even though she didn't really know the older wrestler very well.

She glanced at the screen again, trying to figure out what, exactly, Triple H and Matt Hardy were up to. She had little respect for Dawn Marie, but she knew that the woman was a conniving manipulator and she put nothing past the woman. There was definitely no doubt in Torrie's mind that Dawn Marie had something up her sleeve as well.

"Shawn and Lita were hugging!" Devlan squealed and she couldn't help giggling with him. They certainly made an adorable couple. "Do you think that Lita will come and see our house?"

"I think she might, but that's something you'll need to ask your Uncle Shawn, Devlan."

"Okay." The boy settled back against his pillows as Edge's music blared out from the television. It was late and she knew that Shawn had had to lie a little in order to get the nurses to let her stay with Devlan, but she wasn't sure exactly what kind of relationship they thought she had with the child.

As if to answer her thought, a nurse entered and checked Devlan's drip. "Miss. Michaels, your nephew is recovering well."

Devlan giggled and Torrie hoped he wouldn't say anything to contradict what Shawn had told the hospital. She assumed she was meant to be Shawn's sister. She thanked the nurse and, when the woman had left, she turned to smile at Devlan.

"Auntie Torrie," he said with a giggle and her grin widened. She could get used to having a nephew, especially one as cute as Devlan.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

Torrie shook her head and turned back to the action on the television. For some reason, there was a camera back stage in the locker room that she knew her friends were all sharing. When there was a lull in the interest of the match, not that that was happening often with Edge being in the ring, the focus was being taken back stage. She smiled when she saw that Lita was resting against Shawn and couldn't help wishing that she was there with Jeff. She wanted to show her support for him. He was facing his brother later that evening and she wanted him to know that she understood how hard that was for him. She held no illusions that Lita was his best friend, but she hoped he was beginning to trust her more as well.

"Auntie Torrie?"

Yes, she could definitely get used to hearing that. "Yeah?"

"Will Lita and Unca Shawn get married? Unca Hunter said they would, but he lies. But I want Lita and Un-"

"Dev, what did you say?" Torrie asked, her eyes wide.

"I want-"

"No, Dev, about your Uncle Hunter. What did you say about your Uncle Hunter?" She had turned to look at him and was trying desperately not to show how distressed she was.

Devlan frowned and looked at her for a moment. "Unca Hunter talked to me on the phone when I was at Daddy's house."

"Did your Uncle Shawn know?"

Devlan shook his head. "I told Uncle Hunter he was a bad man and he told me that he was going to stop Unca Shawn and Lita getting married."

"He said that?" When Devlan nodded his head, Torrie felt the colour draining from her face. She glanced at the screen, glad that Edge's match hadn't finished. She had time. "Dev, I need to go and call Jeff so I can speak to your Uncle, will you be okay for a minute?"

"Yep!"

Torrie leapt up from Devlan's bed and ran quickly down the hallway. She had to warn the others. She had to warn them. She wasn't sure what Hunter's plan was, but she had a fair idea that it was far more dangerous that they had initially suspected.

"You answer it!" Billy cried, throwing the offending item at Shawn. "She seems to like you."

"She threatened to castrate me last time. I'm rather attached to that part of my anatomy." He threw the phone at Rob who shook his head emphatically.

"No way." He was about to protest more when Jeff entered the room again, having gone to the bathroom. He threw the phone at the younger man, who answered it without thinking.

"Hey." His eyes widened at the voice on the other end and he pulled the phone away from his ear for long enough to ascertain that it belonged to Edge. He placed his hand over the bottom of the phone and glared at them. "I hate you all!" he hissed.

Turning his attention back to the yelling woman on the phone he grimaced. "Ivory, I'm sorry, but I can't interfere…no I realise that he has an injured shoulder, but you're a wrestler, you know I can't…I don't care if Eddie's a- No, Ivory, I can't go out there...Ivory, I don't care if you - I can't interrupt his match!"

The others were impressed with him. There were few who would speak like that to the brunette. The fact that she was in another State was likely helpful. 

"…yes, yes, that sounds very painful," Jeff said with a gulp. He looked at the others, a silent but very obvious plea in his eyes. Lita eventually took pity on him and crossed the room to take the phone.

"Hey, Ive, it's Lita," she said as Jeff all but ran to the other side of the room, intent on keeping well away from the cell phone. "I know it looks sore, but…yes, I know…Ive, you're a wrestler. What if Edge came out to help you…okay, what if he got his friends to come out and help you? Yeah, I thought as much. Look-"

"He won!" Rob called, winking at Lita, knowing that the redhead was likely wanting to wrap up her conversation with the older woman on a high note. There was a consensus of cheers as Lita finished her conversation with Ivory, promising to get Edge to call the woman the moment he got himself fixed up.

Lita placed the phone on the table and glanced around, frowning. "Guys, where's Billy?"

No one seemed to know. They were preparing to go and look for him when Edge entered the room, a wide grin on his face. They all congratulated the man, Lita handing him his phone after hugging him.

"You have to call your girlfriend."

Edge winced. "She rang, huh?"

"She traumatised Jeff." They all laughed as Jeff pouted. "You need to start putting your phone on silent, Edge. We all do."

"Yeah, yeah." Edge smiled. Careful of his shoulder, having just had it wrapped up, he entered the shower area with his cell phone.

At that moment, Billy ran through the door, breathless and looking rather frantic. "Guys, we have a problem."

"Billy, what's wrong?" Lita asked as Shawn moved over to let the younger man sit next to him.

"I decided to do a little looking around after Triple H and Matt." He shook his head and continued before anyone could interrupt. "I know it was stupid to go on my own, but just listen. I overheard Dawn Marie talking to Triple H." Lita frowned and exchanged a glance with Jeff. "Matt's no angel," Billy continued, "but it seems he didn't want to injure you, Jeff, he just wants to fight out his anger."

"That's how we've always sorted stuff out," Jeff said. "But he took things too far this time."

"Yeah, and I don't think he's all that sorry about it, either. But he still doesn't want to hurt you too badly. Seems he thinks your dad will have something to say about it and you are his kid brother; he thinks Lita is just misleading you. He's an egomaniac and, according to Dawn anyway, he wants to hurt Lita because he thinks she was leaving him behind and taking you with her. He didn't want to be dumped so he dumped her first. Realised his mistake and now he'll do anything to stop her from being with anyone else. But he doesn't want to hurt Jeff."

"What was Dawn Marie saying to Hunter, Billy?" Shawn asked, an edge to his voice that made a shudder run down Billy's spine.

"They're taking things into their own hands. Without telling Matt anything." There was a moment's silence as everyone digested what Billy had just said. "I don't know what they have planned," he continued. "But it's not good. I think our only hope is that Hunter was too busy running away to notice how important Lita is to you." He glanced at Shawn as he watched realisation dawning. Looking at Lita, he realised the redhead was frowning a little. "Honey, Triple H would do anything to get to Shawn."

"Including," Shawn continued, looking at the woman with regret in his eyes, "bringing you into it."

"Then we have to make sure that he doesn't know she's involved with you," Jeff said protectively.

"Agreed." Shawn nodded.

"Excuse me," Lita said, her eyes narrowing. "I am right here, you know."

"Lita," Shawn said, standing up and pulling her aside. "Hunter has injured you before."

"That I remember," the redhead grumbled.

"Good. Remember it and make sure it doesn't happen again. It's possible he thinks you were just helping out a friend the other day-"

"At the time, I was," she said with a smirk and he chuckled slightly before sobering.

"Petal, to be on the safe side, I don't want you in the arena when I go out there. I want you and Jeff to leave after your match. Understood?" When it looked like she was about to protest, he silenced her with a tender kiss. "Please," he said softly against her mouth. "I won't concentrate if I know you're here and I have to win."

"You will," she replied, pulling back to look at him. She nodded. "Jeff and I will head back to the hospital."

Shawn let out a breath and smiled sadly. "Thank you."

Relief spread quickly through the locker room when they realised that Lita had agreed to leave. Shawn glanced at Jeff who nodded. He would get Lita as far from the arena as possible during Shawn and Hunter's match.

"I take it I missed something important then," Edge said softly. He had only caught the last few minutes of the discussion.

"You could say that," Shawn said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "But I think we've got it under control now." They all agreed and settled down to watch the Undertaker fighting Booker T, waiting for the time Lita and Jeff would have to head to the curtain.

Shawn glanced at the redhead by his side, surprised by how quickly he had come to care for her. She meant a lot to him and he intended to keep her safe. As the Undertaker's music blared through the TV, Lita and Jeff prepared to leave the room, no one noticing the flashing light on Jeff's phone as it continued to ring, unanswered.

End of Part Twenty

Well, I hope that was enough for you guys! I'm really sorry it took so long, but my writer's block has been relentless. You can thank Murron, who had me writing an original fic that got my muses going again and a huge thanks to DarkFox and DarlaKane for sponsoring this chapter, it really got this going and finished!

Darla - I took the thing with Torrie and Dev forward to this chapter, but that doesn't mean I won't use it in the Shawn/Hunter chapter as well ;)

On a sponsoring note, if anyone wants to sponsor a chapter of one of my fics, post on my Yahoo! Group, KyiziFic, and I'll get in contact with you. Alternatively, email me at

Next chapter – Lita and Jeff vs. Dawn Marie and Matt