Part 10 of I've Lost My Smile

Note I: May be disappointing, or may be satisfactory….

Note II: Sorry for the inconvenience, but this may be broken into chapters from this point forward

It was the following Monday when Bret and Shawn had decided to meet up with the rest of the roster once again. They had been stuck in that small hotel room for the past week now, and apparently, it was Shawn who had insisted on leaving for the arena earlier than usual, NOT Bret. Which got Bret wondering-were his suspicions in fact true? Well, little did he know he was about to find another piece to the puzzle that would help him find out the answer.

"So, uh, want to listen to the radio?" Shawn asked as Bret continued to drive down the highway.

"No!" Bret snapped.

"Why not? I haven't listened to the radio all week, come on, Bret….hey, if you really love me," Shawn let out a slick grin for a moment before continuing, "then you'd let me listen to the radio!" Bret let out a loud sigh and shrugged his shoulders toward the Icon. Shawn did have a point there, but did Shawn really, REALLY love him? That question wouldn't stop bothering the Hit Man no matter what he tried to get his mind off of the other night's secretive phone conversation between Shawn and that sleaze ball, Hunter. Bret wanted to punch that bastard! He wanted to kill him! But Bret had to keep his temper in check for now so as to not set Shawn off. Shawn changed the radio over to some country station before settling in. Great! Just the type of music that could make Bret sick-COUNTRY! YUCK! Bret had always been a fan of heavy metal, and having to listen to Garth Brooks of all people was just down right insulting to the Hit Man and everything he stood for! Bret rolled his eyes with disgust as Shawn began to bob his head to what he presumably called music. Shawn, taking notice of this, turned his attention to him. "Bret, what's wrong?"

"Uh," Bret had to think up a good excuse for this one. "Nothing…..nothing's wrong, why?"

"Yes there is," Shawn replied, "or you wouldn't be so consistent about it. Bret, just tell me, you have been acting strange within the past few nights, something has to be bothering you. So just tell me, what is it?" Shawn did have a point there as well. Man, did Shawn have to know him so damn well? It almost frustrated the Hit Man to question such a thing.

"Ok, you want to know what is wrong. Huh? I'll tell you…." Bret let the car fill with silence before answering Shawn's question. "You lying your ass off to me, that's what's wrong! There, you happy now? I answered your damn question!" Shawn's face drained of its color before he said a word to that response. Oh boy…..he might have just upset the Heart Break Kid…

"Lying? Bret, what are you talking about?" He said, attempting to play dumb.

"Like as if you out of ALL people wouldn't know!" Bret exclaimed. "How about that phone conversation, huh? Don't even try playing innocent with me on that one; I know what was said…..because I heard it…..from Hunter specifically!" There! Bret thought diligently. That should shake things up a bit!

"But Bret…what I told you was the truth…."

"Yea, all except for the part when Hunter told you that he loved you and wanted you back! That part, you conveniently forgot to tell me about, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?" Silence told the whole story; Bret didn't need an explanation for that, deep down inside, he already knew the answer….and it was one, that he didn't really want to know. It hurt Bret to yell at him like this, but experience taught him that this was the only sure-fire way to get the truth out of the old HBK, as most on the roster would call him. Bret turned toward Shawn, whose face was now facing the partially open window. He could see the man's reflection, and what he saw, was a broken down man about to cry. HBK-about to cry! Now this he would have loved to see a few weeks ago…but now it almost killed him to face the sight in front of him. Before he could say anything more, however, Shawn answered his question.

"Bret…..you really don't understand do you? You know, maybe for once, you should at least try! It would make you a better person that way!" Shawn then turned away, looking through the window once again.

"Well, Shawn, you don't think that I do try? Listen, I'm sorry for yelling at you, but you better stay the fuck away from Hunter! You know why that is, right? Because he's trying to manipulate you, Shawn! He knows how to screw with your head!"

"And as if you would know how to run my life! You aren't me, Bret! And I'm not you! So get this point and stick with it-I don't tell you who you can and can't be with, alright! So stop trying to tell me the same! I'm my own person, BRET! So you better start treating me that way!" Shawn crossed his arms and glared straight at him, almost daring him to answer; to which he did.

"Start treating you that way, huh? Alright, I see how it is…." Bret grabbed the steering wheel tighter with both hands as he put the car into park. "Ok, then I will….but I'm just warning you, Shawn….if you want to ruin your life, then go for it! Hang around Hunter; let him fuck your mind all up! But mark my words, you will be sorry!" Bret grabbed his car keys and opened the car door to let himself out, not caring whether or not Shawn had followed suit. Bret was just so angry at that point, that he didn't care what Shawn now thought of him; at least he got to speak his peace, and for the time being, that is all that mattered…that was until he spotted Hunter walking through the main entrance doors of the arena….it was then he knew who he had to set his sights on…..

"Hey, Hunter…..can I talk to you in private for a few minutes?" Bret questioned as he approached the assassin from behind. Hunter turned around to face him and nodded his head, and followed the Hit Man down the hallway, and little did he know what a tongue lashing he was in for.

"Yea, Bret, what's up?" Hunter asked assertively. Bret glanced around his shoulders, relieved to find that Shawn was nowhere to be seen. He now knew that if he was going to get Hunter off of Shawn's back, this was the only time he'd be able to do it.

"Did you call Shawn's hotel room the other night?"

"Why would that be any of YOUR concern, Bret? I mean you make it sound as if it's your business…."

"It is my concern, but that's not the point, the point is, you better not try to manipulate Shawn in any way shape or form or you are going to have to personally, and I do mean, PERSONALLY answer to me, understand?"

"Let me tell you something, Bret," Hunter said, flinching his fists together, "I don't tell you what to do on your spare time, so you don't tell ME what to do, alright? Are we clear?" Bret and Hunter exchanged an intense stare down before Bret spoke up again.

"We're clear alright….on one thing…..you staying the HELL away from Shawn….he's mine…..and not you or anyone else is going to change that….."

"Oh, he's yours alright…" Hunter let out a laugh. "Oh, if only, if ONLY you knew….maybe if you did, you might be thinking twice before saying something quite like that….trust me, no one knows Shawn, like I do…." Hunter stared at him one more time before heading down the hall and into the locker room, just knowing that Bret was to be proven wrong about Shawn, DEAD wrong.

A/N: Ok, do you think I should be posting this into parts still or chapters…because this is definitely not the end….in the next part, Bret learns that not all is as it seems….Please read and Review!