Chapter 12

When John arrived back to New York he met a couple of the other wrestlers at a nearby bar for a drink or two. He had to figure out how to let Lita know that he was different than Matt and that he did have control over his jealousy. It had been a long day, so before the other wrestlers arrived John made sure to sneak in a shot of tequila to warm up the night.

As a few of the wrestlers started to arrive, John noticed Triple H walking into the bar with Stephanie by his side.

"Great" he thought to himself. That was all he needed, Triple H staring daggers into him all night and Stephanie watching one of her top Superstars getting plastered in public.

As John hung his head while sipping on a beer, Stephanie McMahon sat next to him.

"Hey, don't tell Paul this, but great job in the match tonight. Sorry you had to go through all that but the crowd really loved it.." Stephanie explained.

"Great. No offense but what's up with all that? I practically got my ass kicked by six guys." John responded harshly.

John was in no mood to be a nice guy. If he was pissed off about something he was going to say it, even if it was to the WWE owner's daughter and head of the Creative Department.

Stephanie couldn't help but pick up on John's dark tone. John had usually been pretty laid back and would take on whatever was dished out to him. Tonight though he seemed agitated. Very agitated.

"Well most of it was Shane's idea. The Spirit Squad guys are young. We need to see how they perform in main events so we can determine who the stand outs will be. I'll try to take it easy on you for next week. I know you've been working hard John and I appreciate it." Stephanie replied.

John shook his head.

"Are you really a McMahon?" John asked. The effects of the alcohol starting to get to him.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. She had no clue what he was talking about and quite honestly was a little offended.

"I mean you seem pretty straight up, but Vince and Shane?" John said as he took a long drink of his beer.

"John, what are you talking about?" Stephanie asked.

"Your brother is a dick with a capital 'D'. Since when did he suddenly get a thing for Lita?" John asked.

Stephanie again had no idea where all of this was coming from. She looked at the two shot glasses that sat in front of John on the bar.

"John, how much have you had to drink?" She asked now quite concerned.

"Not nearly enough. Tell your brother that if he does anything to Lita I will beat him to within inches of his life. Got it?" John spat and then walked away.

Stephanie sat in total shock. What did he mean by Shane having a thing for Lita she wandered.

As the thoughts swarmed through Stephanie's head, Triple H came up behind her, placing his hands on her hips lovingly.

"What's up Steph? I'm starting to feel neglected." Triple H said flirtatiously.

"It's John. Something he said about Lita and Shane has me a little worried."

Triple H rolled his eyes. If there was ever a buzz kill it was Shane McMahon. The guy was quickly becoming a plague to his existence.

"Listen Steph, who cares? John and Shane-O hate each other. Not that I like John or anything, I don't, but Shane's been trying to make John's life a living hell. Somehow Lita's in the middle. Who care's though babe? It's just a pissing contest between John and Shane." Triple H replied hoping Stephanie would just let the whole thing drop.

Stephanie loved her brother more than anything but at the same time hated that he was so stubborn. If he didn't like somebody he would do just about everything in his power to make that person look stupid. He did it to her on many occasions if he didn't agree with the type of guy she was dating. He was now targeting John, but there was no way Stephanie would just forget about this. John was obviously upset about something and Shane was behind it. Stephanie would go straight to the source to find out what was going on; Shane.

OOoooooooOOOOOooOOOOO

As Shane entered Lita's apartment he held in his right hand the bottle of wine she had requested earlier. Instead of his usual shirt and tie he was dressed in blue jeans and a button down shirt. Definitely a more relaxed look than what Lita was used to.

Lita was dressed gym shorts and a tank top. For her part she was pretty much ready to go to bed. All she wanted was to spend a few moments getting to know the other side of Shane and then going to sleep. Shane was right, she did owe him at least a conversation. The guy had been a jerk in the past but was really trying to make amends for it now. Besides, Lita was still venting over the comment John had made earlier, a little red wine and an ear to bend would make her feel a whole lot better.

As Shane opened the wine and handed Lita the bottle he decided to sit a safe distance from her on the couch. Not too far, but not too close. He was careful not to scare her away.

"So what's on your mind Lita. Like I said, I'm here to listen." Shane said as he watched her drink straight from the bottle. It was a far cry from the women he had been used to.

"First off I want to know if this is just all an act or is this the real Shane McMahon?' Lita asked not willing to just spill her guts just yet to a man she considered somewhat of a stranger.

"Okay, being honest? The real me is an asshole. I have to be. I'd never make it as a businessman if I wasn't and look at my father. Look at what I have to live up to." Shane confessed. "But if you're wandering if what I told you earlier is true, it is. You make your own judgment. If the flowers aren't enough to convince you, then me telling you I love you won't do much good either. I'm not here to pressure you Lita, I'm here to be your friend."

Was this really Shane McMahon? The guy who tried to make John's life a living hell? The guy who had been rumored to be sleeping with not just one WWE diva, but several? The same guy who only weeks ago had threatened to have Lita suspended if she didn't stay away from John Cena?

Lita was certainly not stupid enough to spill her guts to Shane about John, but she did appreciate the company, and again, the wine. She couldn't remember the last time a man she cared about, like John, had gotten her so riled up. So, the more Lita drank the more the words "Fuck John Cena, fuck him!" echoed through her mind.

A/N: Chapter 13 and the drama coming soon. You've been warned!