p data-p-id="cc7136b5ac0143269bd350399ef94471"I woke up in the morning excited and full of life. Shawn had shown me how to have fun. I didn't know what truly enjoying someone's company was until I met him./p
p data-p-id="b4ffa9b74208113a9d46930d4a7ebd53"I got dressed in a simple little dress, something Dad had probably bought for me in attempts to bribe my affections. It was light blue, my favorite color. Blue is a calming color. Maybe that's why I liked it so much./p
p data-p-id="6d77546c90df97c7807d31e7230a9f70"I shuffled into the hallway nervously. It was still early; maybe I was being too eager. I set these fears aside as I saw Shawn coming down the hall from the opposite direction: the direction of the elevators. He wobbled over to me, so close he was nearly on top of me. Before I could even get out a 'hello', he crashed his lips against mine sloppily, taking me by surprise. I typically would have no problem with that; I wanted to kiss Shawn. This time, though, there was a big problem: he tasted like alcohol./p
p data-p-id="64cb176bd7af3ed6211b47b53b3bb060"I pushed him away, with some difficulty. "Are you drunk?" I questioned./p
p data-p-id="dbaa85857735f2273c1e4f9a128877c6"He gave me a lopsided smirk. "Maybe a little." He held up his fingers to demonstrate 'little', swaying on his feet./p
p data-p-id="930851527f584bf13bba5246df0a2f1c"He started to fall, so I panickedly reached out to catch him. But him being twice my size didn't help matters, and I was going down, too./p
p data-p-id="98258fc22d784692f2d0d99ce2688e95""Kev! Paul!" I yelled, trying to get some help./p
p data-p-id="a917c19980255fa33224514a36bedb5e"Kev swung open the door immediately, rushing to my aid. He took the burden of Shawn from my arms and helped him stand. "What the hell happened?"/p
p data-p-id="368021f089fd5d05a8442c73a7261e3e""He's drunk," I explained./p
p data-p-id="2f22a0a3fb00c6e2ff91be154a8ac247"Kev rolled his eyes at me as Paul walked over as well. "I got that. Did he hurt you?" His voice was laced with concern, for both me and Shawn./p
p data-p-id="41a3a4d3551aef0fd4955bc2cd1abf62"I shook my head, kind of confused. Shawn would never hurt me. "No, I just couldn't hold him."/p
p data-p-id="1b2b00c5ee189721ead29b8077b4dd9b"He nodded and handed Shawn over to Paul, who threw one of Shawn's arms over his shoulder and helped him into the hotel room. "I'll get him cleaned up," he said over his shoulder./p
p data-p-id="1b887a60d1ca3568003bbd0ee764cc9b"Kev looked me up and down once they were gone. "You sure you're okay?"/p
p data-p-id="aae675f9e3a0efc4ce99da8bfd7ad531""Yeah. I'm fine. He's just really heavy and I was kinda freaked-"/p
p data-p-id="ee9ef7b98f632ae2db5842d08d702563"My rambling was interrupted by Scott. "What's going on?" he asked. He seemed to have just woken up./p
p data-p-id="9c3619b6979551c004cb1e66370fa6f6""Shawn got himself into trouble," Kev answered./p
p data-p-id="d1f518b3eb7f2fe6b221a867744fd36e"Scott nodded, chuckling dryly. "Yeah, when doesn't he, eh?" He walked back into the room, though not before sending me a playful wink, and Kev made sure to shut the door this time./p
p data-p-id="e6f945dd836e1500027558aaabc3ea9d""Does-does Shawn... does he do this a lot?" I timidly asked. I was scared of the answer./p
p data-p-id="493f8e1c5601fc66c491942b84963670"Kev sighed deeply and ran a hand through his long dark hair. "Why don't we sit and talk for a while," he said, motioning toward the door of my room./p
p data-p-id="00ae4f4a16190949ab1c90e2f12cafff"We sat down around the small table my hotel suite came with. It was the perfect size for me, but Kev absolutely dwarfed it. He reminded me of an adult that got demoted to the kiddie table. He stared deeply at me, as if trying to figure out how to start. The serious look in his eye terrified me. I was afraid I wasn't going to like this talk too well./p
p data-p-id="6e314e3f1a7ad05a7f754a453dfd2c1f""There's... some things you need to know about Shawn," he began, as I listened intently. "He, uh, he's not the cleanest. He gets into some bad stuff. Alcohol, as you've just seen, and recently he's been into the pain killers. Lots of them. Now, I know this isn't my information to tell, but he sure as hell isn't going to talk to you about it. And I'm not going to be here forever, to interrupt you and send you off to bed..."/p
p data-p-id="835c1fa3f260acd358daaa8e78b9a7f7""What do you mean you won't be here forever? Are you leaving?" I asked./p
p data-p-id="f163baadefa41b36634b38d688b87a14"He breathed out deeply, preparing himself for what he was about to say. "WCW has offered Scott a contract. Guaranteed money. He's jumping ship at the end of the month..." He looked up at me. "They're offering me a contract too. A lot of money, Kat. emGuaranteed/em money."/p
p data-p-id="48502ef3f6071fd054115a1ac3f37d84"I crumbled inside. I hadn't known Kev that long, but he was already like another older brother to me. I didn't want him to leave. He and Scott were leaving, to join my family's rival company. It felt like betrayal. Everyone always left me./p
p data-p-id="97f2e9a401c8213d24bf9b12e23eea1a"Seeing my crushed face, Kev turned my chin up to look at him. "Look, Kat, I don't want to leave. WWF is my home, always has been. But I've got a wife, and a little one in the way. I've gotta put food on the table. I'm going to talk to your Dad, and if he can match the money, I'll stay."/p
p data-p-id="b3a581430f8ff50b9f9196b04869f5c4"I may not have been allowed to take part in Dad's meetings, but I often eavesdropped outside the door. I knew the state the company was in second best only to him. "How much?" I whispered./p
p data-p-id="13181372c60ea208255c8e90d079ae20"Kev told me how much they offered him, and I balked. "We can't match that. There's no way." I shook my head./p
p data-p-id="3f2a78c6b0b6eee8eb2c00834c6a447d"He breathed out deeply. "That's what I was afraid of." He leaned back in his chair./p
p data-p-id="38ecd89120dcc0f883eff30ceb17d2b9""Do the boys know?" I asked./p
p data-p-id="c1ddd5a3506ba89b708266226fec9a4f""Fuck no," he exclaimed. "Well, Scott does. But Shawn is gonna freak. I'm stalling that meltdown for as long as possible. He can be quite the drama queen."/p
p data-p-id="f43e39bc3ec64f24ba96ce06b2ef7aaa""Do... do you think the rest will follow you? Kev, we really can't stand to lose much more talent," I confessed./p
p data-p-id="b7ffca8f3bff04faf192f9a5a3b75a0d""Kid, maybe. If they offer him anywhere close to what they did Scott and I, he'll jump in a heart beat." He thought for a second. "Paul won't. He's loyal to your Dad and his company. Paul is loyal to anyone he trusts. Shawn... well, he'll never leave now," he told me./p
p data-p-id="ff4072635377cd333c1b4a1201a9edb7""Now?"/p
p data-p-id="2ffa17990ee6cb0821cf98274e1178f3""He's got you. WWF is his tie to you. And trust me, he's not giving up on you that easily," he laughed. Suddenly he turned very serious again. "Now, listen to me. Shawn is dramatic, and snobby, and arrogant, and kind of an ass." He grinned in amusement. "However, he's also compassionate, and caring, and funny, and great kisser." He winked at me. "Shawn has some personal demons, for sure. But in my opinion, he just needs someone like you to set him straight."/p
p data-p-id="ff2704e62ba1b6eb48f1fc621963363e"I didn't know what to say. "I..."/p
p data-p-id="74d295ed265b33e09d9a7e864d3a6035""Look, I've just laid a bunch on you all at once. I'm going to go check on the numbskulls and leave you here to think." He stood from his too-small chair without another word and slowly walked back across the hall./p
p data-p-id="5170ebbffb995b058b0b6d485460af54"What was I supposed to do? My newfound family was leaving me. At least, half of it was. And half of it was enough to break my heart. I felt like I needed to call Stephanie; I always told her everything. Or, at least, I used to. I hadn't even talked to her in days./p
p data-p-id="781b51f0f14c82e29cdacf8ad40cfd74"On the other hand, Kev thought I was good for Shawn. Did that mean he was bad for me? I mean, I did just catch him from falling down in a drunken stupor./p
p data-p-id="ffcac83b5ab95f87fe0bf638a852cd88"I decided I didn't care. I did not care one bit about the trouble Shawn got into. I was going to love him no matter what. And I would straighten him out, like Kev told me./p
p data-p-id="8a7ab20ec0ab3262ce329c7dcb399a4e"***/p
p data-p-id="b1d41297daba58bcea1822226c367dd2"Shawn didn't speak to me at all as we loaded into the car. He sat shotgun, blatantly ignoring everyone, so I sat in the very back with Paul./p
p data-p-id="d221f19f6ac0e4a8bc6c121b06d11e6a"I sighed as the car got started. With Scott and Kid's camaraderie, I wouldn't be able to hear anything from the front of the vehicle even if Shawn did want to talk to me./p
p data-p-id="8cd5454316a7f4310dd488f7e5561acd""What's up?" Paul asked me. He looked concerned for my well-being. How did Shawn find not one, but emfour/em of the most caring people on Earth to befriend?/p
p data-p-id="c680895164faae1f315107606ba7abab""He's ignoring me."/p
p data-p-id="ab833519c356c978266c1ed473bcfaf5"Paul shook his head. "He's ignoring everyone. He's just in a mood, he'll be fine in a few hours."/p
p data-p-id="b1e8433f2b5ce3c209bcb9efcd707f65""Are you sure?" I asked. I couldn't hear them, but I could see Kev talking to Shawn./p
p data-p-id="eb6c23715e134b1e1bb9eb25d2db84a8""He feels guilty," Paul admitted. "He didn't want you to have to see him like that. But now you have, so he feels like you won't like him anymore or some stupid shit."/p
p data-p-id="5de0a3d2687d62712e9cb1bde68f9346"I stared up at Paul, who I realized I hasn't really had a chance to talk to one-on-one. "Really? Why does he think that?"/p
p data-p-id="529fbcf3ef5606576306ec48a26e051b"He shrugged. "Shawn's... fragile. The last long-term relationship he had was a marriage to a girl he wasn't really in love with. Now he thinks every long-term relationship he has is going to end badly."/p
p data-p-id="0f632bcf306e1f5472852ea1fc659965"I sat in silence for a few moments, taking in all this new information. "Thank you," I whispered. "Next time, could you tell him that not everyone is so easily scared away?"/p
p data-p-id="e21057677da1751dd88cd30dabb87a08"Paul nodded, grinning. "I can do that."/p
p data-p-id="fb24b2edcf642d551166df71f28bebfa"I had a feeling Paul and I were going to be good friends./p
p data-p-id="66f5bb4c16beb0dd21896047ccdb8d9d"***/p
p data-p-id="20a25d2fecb7e1553ae7ab6672c838b6"I wandered around the arena desperately trying to find Shawn so I could talk to him. He'd disappeared when we first arrived, but he couldn't hide forever./p
p data-p-id="c16deab04d0c745eb799fd16f59765e0"I spotted him talking to Bret Hart near the door of one of the locker rooms. As I got closer, I began to see that they were actually arguing. They were shouting at each other, and I was afraid it would turn into an actual fight. I ran the rest of the way and stood in between them. Bret had been about to throw a punch, but he pulled back when he saw me./p
p data-p-id="c0fb137a0ac8a36e155732908a4d695a""So now you have Vince's daughter to protect you?" Bret asked./p
p data-p-id="77fc692992c0aab7a0f8f75cf8e17437""Katherine, go back to our room," Shawn ordered. I didn't like the tone in his voice. It was dangerous./p
p data-p-id="2ebe04802f3030bb149de6e1d7c3a476"He was referring, of course, to the Kliq's personal locker room, which was where I had already been sitting for the past hour with the rest of the boys. And while that was fun and I learned I'm not very good at poker, I needed to talk to Shawn. And there was no way I was letting him get into a fight./p
p data-p-id="e7be00daaf3f0a596dc6b7489ccdce1d""No," I told him firmly./p
p data-p-id="ef601d607933d509f9ef0eb985504d8d"He looked down at me in shock. He couldn't believe I was staying. He glanced back up at Bret, then down at me, and backed off./p
p data-p-id="49bc6872f5db60bd06d2379d57db0fc3"He shook his head. "He's not even worth it."/p
p data-p-id="7c808eb68025285faf3e6c0f8b406538""You're right, you're not worth it," Bret spat, turning on his heel and retreating back into the locker room./p
p data-p-id="03ea065c4b81d6d93f6a9a251edae4e5"I stared up at Shawn. "I leave you alone for one minute and you pick a fight?"/p
p data-p-id="2b8b4f222d8ae41b81e2e7a13c3d8a95""You don't understand," he said, brushing past me./p
p data-p-id="dcfccba22abed80b0fe79999a1702d25"I half-jogged after him, trying to keep up with his longer strides. "I do. I can. If you trust me."/p
p data-p-id="f51d7f2bcb46865acc87cec220d6c2a2"He stopped walking, turning to look at me with something I couldn't recognize in his blue eyes. "You want to know why I was about to deck that son of a bitch? Fine. He called you a slut. He said that I was going to turn you into a slut. Happy?"/p
p data-p-id="c725aa74a54784b54fec624a23c02fbb"I didn't know what to say. I just let my mouth hang open as he glowered at me. Well, he wasn't really glaring at emme/em, but he was still steaming. He'd gotten in a fight to defend me. "...yes."/p
p data-p-id="cd22494b4bf5ad8416149044a75f210d"A look of confusion moved across his face but I answered his question with a small peck on the lips. "Yes, I'm happy. You make me happy." I could feel fluttering in heart./p
p data-p-id="7f5d389c2e7d5b9508c24d52e972c228"The butterflies made their way to my stomach as Shawn continued to stare at me. I was nervous. I had spilled part of my feelings for him and I wasn't sure what he was going to say or do./p
p data-p-id="f04098e25343f1b7e26b90448dd91070"He responded with no words, but took my face in his hands and kissed me for real this time. It was like fireworks going off in my brain. I felt sparks run through me, and I wanted to live forever in that one moment./p
p data-p-id="06156c928b7a337b35a58d231bcfbf20""Stay with me, please," he whispered./p
p data-p-id="b4ffa9b74208113a9d46930d4a7ebd53"I got dressed in a simple little dress, something Dad had probably bought for me in attempts to bribe my affections. It was light blue, my favorite color. Blue is a calming color. Maybe that's why I liked it so much./p
p data-p-id="6d77546c90df97c7807d31e7230a9f70"I shuffled into the hallway nervously. It was still early; maybe I was being too eager. I set these fears aside as I saw Shawn coming down the hall from the opposite direction: the direction of the elevators. He wobbled over to me, so close he was nearly on top of me. Before I could even get out a 'hello', he crashed his lips against mine sloppily, taking me by surprise. I typically would have no problem with that; I wanted to kiss Shawn. This time, though, there was a big problem: he tasted like alcohol./p
p data-p-id="64cb176bd7af3ed6211b47b53b3bb060"I pushed him away, with some difficulty. "Are you drunk?" I questioned./p
p data-p-id="dbaa85857735f2273c1e4f9a128877c6"He gave me a lopsided smirk. "Maybe a little." He held up his fingers to demonstrate 'little', swaying on his feet./p
p data-p-id="930851527f584bf13bba5246df0a2f1c"He started to fall, so I panickedly reached out to catch him. But him being twice my size didn't help matters, and I was going down, too./p
p data-p-id="98258fc22d784692f2d0d99ce2688e95""Kev! Paul!" I yelled, trying to get some help./p
p data-p-id="a917c19980255fa33224514a36bedb5e"Kev swung open the door immediately, rushing to my aid. He took the burden of Shawn from my arms and helped him stand. "What the hell happened?"/p
p data-p-id="368021f089fd5d05a8442c73a7261e3e""He's drunk," I explained./p
p data-p-id="2f22a0a3fb00c6e2ff91be154a8ac247"Kev rolled his eyes at me as Paul walked over as well. "I got that. Did he hurt you?" His voice was laced with concern, for both me and Shawn./p
p data-p-id="41a3a4d3551aef0fd4955bc2cd1abf62"I shook my head, kind of confused. Shawn would never hurt me. "No, I just couldn't hold him."/p
p data-p-id="1b2b00c5ee189721ead29b8077b4dd9b"He nodded and handed Shawn over to Paul, who threw one of Shawn's arms over his shoulder and helped him into the hotel room. "I'll get him cleaned up," he said over his shoulder./p
p data-p-id="1b887a60d1ca3568003bbd0ee764cc9b"Kev looked me up and down once they were gone. "You sure you're okay?"/p
p data-p-id="aae675f9e3a0efc4ce99da8bfd7ad531""Yeah. I'm fine. He's just really heavy and I was kinda freaked-"/p
p data-p-id="ee9ef7b98f632ae2db5842d08d702563"My rambling was interrupted by Scott. "What's going on?" he asked. He seemed to have just woken up./p
p data-p-id="9c3619b6979551c004cb1e66370fa6f6""Shawn got himself into trouble," Kev answered./p
p data-p-id="d1f518b3eb7f2fe6b221a867744fd36e"Scott nodded, chuckling dryly. "Yeah, when doesn't he, eh?" He walked back into the room, though not before sending me a playful wink, and Kev made sure to shut the door this time./p
p data-p-id="e6f945dd836e1500027558aaabc3ea9d""Does-does Shawn... does he do this a lot?" I timidly asked. I was scared of the answer./p
p data-p-id="493f8e1c5601fc66c491942b84963670"Kev sighed deeply and ran a hand through his long dark hair. "Why don't we sit and talk for a while," he said, motioning toward the door of my room./p
p data-p-id="00ae4f4a16190949ab1c90e2f12cafff"We sat down around the small table my hotel suite came with. It was the perfect size for me, but Kev absolutely dwarfed it. He reminded me of an adult that got demoted to the kiddie table. He stared deeply at me, as if trying to figure out how to start. The serious look in his eye terrified me. I was afraid I wasn't going to like this talk too well./p
p data-p-id="6e314e3f1a7ad05a7f754a453dfd2c1f""There's... some things you need to know about Shawn," he began, as I listened intently. "He, uh, he's not the cleanest. He gets into some bad stuff. Alcohol, as you've just seen, and recently he's been into the pain killers. Lots of them. Now, I know this isn't my information to tell, but he sure as hell isn't going to talk to you about it. And I'm not going to be here forever, to interrupt you and send you off to bed..."/p
p data-p-id="835c1fa3f260acd358daaa8e78b9a7f7""What do you mean you won't be here forever? Are you leaving?" I asked./p
p data-p-id="f163baadefa41b36634b38d688b87a14"He breathed out deeply, preparing himself for what he was about to say. "WCW has offered Scott a contract. Guaranteed money. He's jumping ship at the end of the month..." He looked up at me. "They're offering me a contract too. A lot of money, Kat. emGuaranteed/em money."/p
p data-p-id="48502ef3f6071fd054115a1ac3f37d84"I crumbled inside. I hadn't known Kev that long, but he was already like another older brother to me. I didn't want him to leave. He and Scott were leaving, to join my family's rival company. It felt like betrayal. Everyone always left me./p
p data-p-id="97f2e9a401c8213d24bf9b12e23eea1a"Seeing my crushed face, Kev turned my chin up to look at him. "Look, Kat, I don't want to leave. WWF is my home, always has been. But I've got a wife, and a little one in the way. I've gotta put food on the table. I'm going to talk to your Dad, and if he can match the money, I'll stay."/p
p data-p-id="b3a581430f8ff50b9f9196b04869f5c4"I may not have been allowed to take part in Dad's meetings, but I often eavesdropped outside the door. I knew the state the company was in second best only to him. "How much?" I whispered./p
p data-p-id="13181372c60ea208255c8e90d079ae20"Kev told me how much they offered him, and I balked. "We can't match that. There's no way." I shook my head./p
p data-p-id="3f2a78c6b0b6eee8eb2c00834c6a447d"He breathed out deeply. "That's what I was afraid of." He leaned back in his chair./p
p data-p-id="38ecd89120dcc0f883eff30ceb17d2b9""Do the boys know?" I asked./p
p data-p-id="c1ddd5a3506ba89b708266226fec9a4f""Fuck no," he exclaimed. "Well, Scott does. But Shawn is gonna freak. I'm stalling that meltdown for as long as possible. He can be quite the drama queen."/p
p data-p-id="f43e39bc3ec64f24ba96ce06b2ef7aaa""Do... do you think the rest will follow you? Kev, we really can't stand to lose much more talent," I confessed./p
p data-p-id="b7ffca8f3bff04faf192f9a5a3b75a0d""Kid, maybe. If they offer him anywhere close to what they did Scott and I, he'll jump in a heart beat." He thought for a second. "Paul won't. He's loyal to your Dad and his company. Paul is loyal to anyone he trusts. Shawn... well, he'll never leave now," he told me./p
p data-p-id="ff4072635377cd333c1b4a1201a9edb7""Now?"/p
p data-p-id="2ffa17990ee6cb0821cf98274e1178f3""He's got you. WWF is his tie to you. And trust me, he's not giving up on you that easily," he laughed. Suddenly he turned very serious again. "Now, listen to me. Shawn is dramatic, and snobby, and arrogant, and kind of an ass." He grinned in amusement. "However, he's also compassionate, and caring, and funny, and great kisser." He winked at me. "Shawn has some personal demons, for sure. But in my opinion, he just needs someone like you to set him straight."/p
p data-p-id="ff2704e62ba1b6eb48f1fc621963363e"I didn't know what to say. "I..."/p
p data-p-id="74d295ed265b33e09d9a7e864d3a6035""Look, I've just laid a bunch on you all at once. I'm going to go check on the numbskulls and leave you here to think." He stood from his too-small chair without another word and slowly walked back across the hall./p
p data-p-id="5170ebbffb995b058b0b6d485460af54"What was I supposed to do? My newfound family was leaving me. At least, half of it was. And half of it was enough to break my heart. I felt like I needed to call Stephanie; I always told her everything. Or, at least, I used to. I hadn't even talked to her in days./p
p data-p-id="781b51f0f14c82e29cdacf8ad40cfd74"On the other hand, Kev thought I was good for Shawn. Did that mean he was bad for me? I mean, I did just catch him from falling down in a drunken stupor./p
p data-p-id="ffcac83b5ab95f87fe0bf638a852cd88"I decided I didn't care. I did not care one bit about the trouble Shawn got into. I was going to love him no matter what. And I would straighten him out, like Kev told me./p
p data-p-id="8a7ab20ec0ab3262ce329c7dcb399a4e"***/p
p data-p-id="b1d41297daba58bcea1822226c367dd2"Shawn didn't speak to me at all as we loaded into the car. He sat shotgun, blatantly ignoring everyone, so I sat in the very back with Paul./p
p data-p-id="d221f19f6ac0e4a8bc6c121b06d11e6a"I sighed as the car got started. With Scott and Kid's camaraderie, I wouldn't be able to hear anything from the front of the vehicle even if Shawn did want to talk to me./p
p data-p-id="8cd5454316a7f4310dd488f7e5561acd""What's up?" Paul asked me. He looked concerned for my well-being. How did Shawn find not one, but emfour/em of the most caring people on Earth to befriend?/p
p data-p-id="c680895164faae1f315107606ba7abab""He's ignoring me."/p
p data-p-id="ab833519c356c978266c1ed473bcfaf5"Paul shook his head. "He's ignoring everyone. He's just in a mood, he'll be fine in a few hours."/p
p data-p-id="b1e8433f2b5ce3c209bcb9efcd707f65""Are you sure?" I asked. I couldn't hear them, but I could see Kev talking to Shawn./p
p data-p-id="eb6c23715e134b1e1bb9eb25d2db84a8""He feels guilty," Paul admitted. "He didn't want you to have to see him like that. But now you have, so he feels like you won't like him anymore or some stupid shit."/p
p data-p-id="5de0a3d2687d62712e9cb1bde68f9346"I stared up at Paul, who I realized I hasn't really had a chance to talk to one-on-one. "Really? Why does he think that?"/p
p data-p-id="529fbcf3ef5606576306ec48a26e051b"He shrugged. "Shawn's... fragile. The last long-term relationship he had was a marriage to a girl he wasn't really in love with. Now he thinks every long-term relationship he has is going to end badly."/p
p data-p-id="0f632bcf306e1f5472852ea1fc659965"I sat in silence for a few moments, taking in all this new information. "Thank you," I whispered. "Next time, could you tell him that not everyone is so easily scared away?"/p
p data-p-id="e21057677da1751dd88cd30dabb87a08"Paul nodded, grinning. "I can do that."/p
p data-p-id="fb24b2edcf642d551166df71f28bebfa"I had a feeling Paul and I were going to be good friends./p
p data-p-id="66f5bb4c16beb0dd21896047ccdb8d9d"***/p
p data-p-id="20a25d2fecb7e1553ae7ab6672c838b6"I wandered around the arena desperately trying to find Shawn so I could talk to him. He'd disappeared when we first arrived, but he couldn't hide forever./p
p data-p-id="c16deab04d0c745eb799fd16f59765e0"I spotted him talking to Bret Hart near the door of one of the locker rooms. As I got closer, I began to see that they were actually arguing. They were shouting at each other, and I was afraid it would turn into an actual fight. I ran the rest of the way and stood in between them. Bret had been about to throw a punch, but he pulled back when he saw me./p
p data-p-id="c0fb137a0ac8a36e155732908a4d695a""So now you have Vince's daughter to protect you?" Bret asked./p
p data-p-id="77fc692992c0aab7a0f8f75cf8e17437""Katherine, go back to our room," Shawn ordered. I didn't like the tone in his voice. It was dangerous./p
p data-p-id="2ebe04802f3030bb149de6e1d7c3a476"He was referring, of course, to the Kliq's personal locker room, which was where I had already been sitting for the past hour with the rest of the boys. And while that was fun and I learned I'm not very good at poker, I needed to talk to Shawn. And there was no way I was letting him get into a fight./p
p data-p-id="e7be00daaf3f0a596dc6b7489ccdce1d""No," I told him firmly./p
p data-p-id="ef601d607933d509f9ef0eb985504d8d"He looked down at me in shock. He couldn't believe I was staying. He glanced back up at Bret, then down at me, and backed off./p
p data-p-id="49bc6872f5db60bd06d2379d57db0fc3"He shook his head. "He's not even worth it."/p
p data-p-id="7c808eb68025285faf3e6c0f8b406538""You're right, you're not worth it," Bret spat, turning on his heel and retreating back into the locker room./p
p data-p-id="03ea065c4b81d6d93f6a9a251edae4e5"I stared up at Shawn. "I leave you alone for one minute and you pick a fight?"/p
p data-p-id="2b8b4f222d8ae41b81e2e7a13c3d8a95""You don't understand," he said, brushing past me./p
p data-p-id="dcfccba22abed80b0fe79999a1702d25"I half-jogged after him, trying to keep up with his longer strides. "I do. I can. If you trust me."/p
p data-p-id="f51d7f2bcb46865acc87cec220d6c2a2"He stopped walking, turning to look at me with something I couldn't recognize in his blue eyes. "You want to know why I was about to deck that son of a bitch? Fine. He called you a slut. He said that I was going to turn you into a slut. Happy?"/p
p data-p-id="c725aa74a54784b54fec624a23c02fbb"I didn't know what to say. I just let my mouth hang open as he glowered at me. Well, he wasn't really glaring at emme/em, but he was still steaming. He'd gotten in a fight to defend me. "...yes."/p
p data-p-id="cd22494b4bf5ad8416149044a75f210d"A look of confusion moved across his face but I answered his question with a small peck on the lips. "Yes, I'm happy. You make me happy." I could feel fluttering in heart./p
p data-p-id="7f5d389c2e7d5b9508c24d52e972c228"The butterflies made their way to my stomach as Shawn continued to stare at me. I was nervous. I had spilled part of my feelings for him and I wasn't sure what he was going to say or do./p
p data-p-id="f04098e25343f1b7e26b90448dd91070"He responded with no words, but took my face in his hands and kissed me for real this time. It was like fireworks going off in my brain. I felt sparks run through me, and I wanted to live forever in that one moment./p
p data-p-id="06156c928b7a337b35a58d231bcfbf20""Stay with me, please," he whispered./p