Wonderland [WWE] [Shawn Michaels] {Book 1}

Chapter 33: The Cowboy Hat Was Hot

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Shawn's POV
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I had to stop to stop staring at the phone. I wanted to call Kat, but I knew it would probably just make my mood worse. I was pissed she couldn't be at the show. I was going to win the title back from Sid in the main event of the Royal Rumble, and my family was all going to be in front row. All except for Kat, who would be watching from her bed. If it didn't give her a headache.

She technically wasn't supposed to really go anywhere, which was bullshit. I mean, I understood why, but it made me so mad. She deserved to be here with me for this moment. I just knew she was feeling so locked up. Kat hated just staying in, she wanted to be where the action was. I would have probably said, "fuck it" and brought her anyway, but to top it all off, I had the flu. I didn't want to make her sick. She had enough to heal from.

Underneath all my disappointment about Kat, I was psyched to be winning the championship back. I had not held the belt since Survivor Series. I don't know what it was, but it always felt better to have that around my waist. If you had the championship, you were the best of the best. You were the poster boy for the company. I won't lie, it was a great feeling. Plus,  I got to take it from Sid. I liked Sid, he was alright. He wasn't the best worker, but I could have pretty good matches with him. Sid never tried to hide his faults; he knew he wasn't the best. I respected that.

I was happy my parents could be in the audience to watch me. I always liked knowing my family was there to support me. If only Mama could stop asking when I was going to bring "that girl of mine" home. I wished I could.

Butterflies flew in my stomach as I tied up my boots. Typically I didn't get too nervous, but I just didn't want my sickness and how upset I was about Kat to affect how I wrestled. I knew I could go out there and put on a good show, if I just put all of that to the side for the moment.

Jose knocked on the locker room door to ask if I was ready. He was going to come out with me as my manager. Jose was no Kat, but for the meantime, he would have to do.

I hoped Kat was watching one more time as I grabbed my hat and joined Jose. I had had all day to prepare myself. Earlier on in the day I had to film an interview where I had pretty much voiced my fears, but still managed to cut a promo on Sid. I got to watch Paul open the show and retain the IC title against Goldust, which I also hoped Kat saw.

I couldn't stop thinking about how Kat should have been with us, watching from backstage and ringside. She shouldn't have even been injured in the first place. I really didn't think 1997 was going to start out like such a roller coaster. If someone tried to ask me just a year earlier about pretty much anything that was currently happening in my life, I would have thought they were crazy.

I was only ever good at two things in life: avoiding my problems, and wrestling. I was about to do both. Funny how life works.

I pushed any thoughts of Kat as far from my mind as the could go as we passed through the curtain. I had a job to do and I would be damned if I was going to do any less than stellar if I could help it. I would be lying if I said this flu wasn't getting to me at least a little bit, but what can I say? I'm the Showstopper, and I refused to not wrestle just because of a little sickness. The painkillers I had taken definitely helped, I couldn't feel much of anything.

I did my best, and I thought the match went great. I couldn't describe how good it felt to hold that championship in my hands again. I found the camera nearest to me and mouthed "I love you" for Kat. I had to call her later on. I had to go over and talk to my parents, before I walked over to find the rest of my family. I had to climb over Vince's commentary chair to get to them and one of my old friends, pulling him into a hug. I basically tackled the poor guy. I could barely hear Vince's rough laughter as he wished me congratulations.

Paul was waiting for me when I got back behind the curtain. I wrapped him into a hug as well. I had to ride this high. Wrestling gives you a high like nothing else ever will.

"Congrats. You were great, for someone who's 'sick'," he joked.

I rolled my eyes, punching his shoulder lightly. "Oh, shut up. You saw me earlier, you know I felt like shit."

"Hey, don't get all defensive. I'm just pulling your leg, asshole," Paul pushed me away before breaking into another smile. "There's someone on the phone for you," he told me, handing me his cellphone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"I love you too." Kat's voice made me grin. "I didn't watch much, just mainly your match and Paul's match." I was so relieved she had been watching. It made me feel better to think she was with me, in a way.

"What did you think?" I asked, taking a seat on the floor of the locker room.

She sounded like she was thinking about it. "Well, I thought the top with all the mirrors on it was a bit much, but the cowboy hat was pretty hot." I knew she had to be trying to keep from giggling.

"I guess I'll have to keep that in mind," I teased. "But I meant the match."

"Oh, that," she pretended to have been confused. I was in love with a total dork. Not that I minded. She finally turned serious, "It was perfect, as always. I will always stand by the fact that you are the best worker I have ever seen." I wasn't sure if she was just flattering me.

I chuckled. "Thank you. Hey, how are things up there? Any progress, anything special happening?" I wanted to know if she felt any better.

"Pretty much the same old, same old around here. I think my rib is actually healing faster than my concussion," she sighed. Recently she was always very quick to turn the conversation away from herself. "What about you? Are you going to go celebrate?"

"Yeah. I need to shower and then I guess we'll head out. Paul's here and my family came to watch, so we might go get drinks or something," I explained.

"That sounds nice. I wish I could be there," she replied. I hated how useless she sounded. She was hating being cooped up. I didn't care if her friend was treating her well, I still thought keeping her there was a bad decision.

"I wish you could too," I admitted. I remembered something Mama had said. "Hey, my mother is just dying  to meet you, and I could have sworn you told me before how much you wanted to meet my family..."

"Shawn, where are you going with this? You know I'm supposed to be staying in bed." Kat was always trying to follow the rules. I was going to break her of that one of these days.

"I know, but I think you could use some air. I'll pick you up and we can fly back down here and stay a day or two. The second you start feeling overwhelmed, either you can go lie down in the guest bedroom or we can go back to our house." I really wanted her to agree with me on this. I needed to see her.

She thought about it for longer than I would have liked. Finally she gave in. "Okay. Please make it soon?"

I laughed, excited now. "Will do. I love you."

"Be careful, don't get kicked out of any bars. I'm not there to pay the fee." She was half-joking. "I love you more. See you soon."

As I ended the call I couldn't help but get hyped up. I had been too long without seeing Kat. I needed her by my side to keep me sane. I was still giddy when Paul yelled at me to hurry up.

I was going to introduce my fiancée to my family. And I was excited to do so. 1997 was going to be a wild year.

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-A/N-
Ayyyyyyyyyyyy it's your fave, on time, with a chapter that actually doesn't make me want to rip my heart out. Who would've thought?