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

Chapter 45: Fuck That!

[Kat]

Dad paced in front of his desk, trapped in thought. He didn't even glance our direction for a solid few moments, even when Paul cleared his throat. We didn't attempt to catch his attention again. We just waited patiently.

At least, in my case. Shawn tensed beside me while his patience gradually wore thin.

"Hey, Vinman, did you forget we were here or what?" I slapped his leg for being rude.

Dad stopped in his tracks and turned to face us, resting against the hard wood of his desk. "I asked for you three to be here because I have a problem. I'm hoping you'll be able to help me solve it."

"What's wrong?" I asked. He was obviously struggling with his thoughts.

"It's Bret."

Shawn snorted. "Of course it's Bret. What's he throwing a fit about now? Is it me? God, I hope it's me."

"Unfortunately, Shawn," Dad began, "It is. He's refusing to drop the title to you in Montreal."

"But, wait, isn't his contract up? I thought he was jumping ship after Survivor Series?" Paul questioned. "That's all he's been talking about. He's gloating around the locker room, ranting about how he's header to greener pastures or some shit."

Dad sighed. "Therein lies my problem. He has to drop the championship before he does. I can't let him leave with that belt. He'll ruin us."

We all remembered when Alundra Blayze dropped our women's championship straight into the trashcan on live television. Another stunt like that, and Dad was right. We'd be ruined.

The three of us understood Dad's predicament better than most. The business was in our veins. I was born into it. We got what he was saying.

"So we need to... figure something out. Talk him into dropping the title to someone else, and they can pass it to Shawn later." I racked my brain for solutions that wouldn't boil down to a fight.

"Fuck that!" Paul exclaimed from the other side of me. "If Bret won't do business, we'll do business for him."

"What are you thinking?" Dad prodded, intrigued. "I've run through a few ideas, but I want to know your take."

"It's simple, isn't it?" Shawn kicked his feet up on the desk and leaned back. "We have to make him drop the title."

I started to get a bad feeling about the whole thing. Something about it made my stomach turn. "What do you mean? Like, trick him?"

"If we have to." Shawn shrugged. "If that's what's best for business, I'd say so."

"My thoughts exactly," Dad replied.

I tried to steer them toward something else, but I could hardly get a word in edgewise. Even then, my words went in one ear and out the other. They continued forming a plan that gave me bad vibes all around.

"Shawn, I need you to get with Bret and plan out your match. From there, we can find a spot that will work for us," Dad instructed. "There has to be something. I'll handle the referee."

Shawn nodded. I couldn't understand how they were all on board with this.

"Isn't this like... screwing Bret over?" I asked. "He'll be pissed. The fans will be pissed. Everyone will be. Don't you remember the Curtain Call?"

They contemplated my point for a minute. "She's right," Dad finally answered. "No one can know about this. If anyone asks, even Bret, you had nothing to do with it," he pointed to Shawn. "I'll take the heat. Understand?"

The three of us agreed. Though he put on his tough guy act, I could see Shawn gulp. He had to know this wouldn't end well. It couldn't.

"Good. Shawn, you know what you need to do. Leave the rest to me. This is the last thing I wanted to do. I never wanted it to come to this, but I'm afraid Bret has given us no choice," Dad said.

"I still don't think we've considered all our options," I tried again. "Is there really no other way? I just feel like this is going to come back to bite us."

Dad looked right into my eyes. "Katherine, we've been through other options. I've had meetings before this. Other plans, other ideas. This is the last resort. Survivor Series is tomorrow and Bret is not leaving as the WWF champion. Not if I have anything to do with it."

I nodded quietly, knowing he would never budge. Once my father's mind was made up, it was nearly impossible to change it. I would never get through to him.

When we left his office, the three of us were eerily quiet until we got to the rental car.

"You can't seriously think this a good idea," I pleaded with them. "I can't believe you two agreed with him so easily. All Dad cares about is the stupid ratings war! This is wrong, and you know it."

"If you payed any attention at all," Shawn exclaimed, "You would know that this 'stupid ratings war' is all that matters right now. This is our livelihood, Kat. If we lose, we could go under."

"Oh, what do you care? All you've done this whole time is prance around and then shrug whenever I ask you about anything serious!" I shot back. "The only reason you care now is because Bret is involved, and you'd take any opportunity to screw him over."

"Well, I don't hate the idea of screwing Bret over, but that's not the point. That bitch has been a real snob ever since he returned. He thinks he's better than all this. He thinks he's untouchable, that he can do whatever he wants. That kind of thinking will sink us faster than anything else," Shawn answered.

"Hey!" Paul shouted from the driver's seat. "Is arguing all you two fucking do anymore? Vince said this is what we have to do, so we'll do it. But Kat's right, it's not going to be pretty. And I don't think Vince is going to be able to take all the heat. Some of it has to fall on Shawn."

He was right. Shawn was definitely going to get blamed. Why wouldn't he?

"Like I haven't had heat before. I'll be fine." Shawn shrugged the whole thing off

"Are you sure?" I asked. As much as I couldn't understand his logic, I was still worried about him.

He turned to stare out the window and said nothing else for the remainder of the car ride. I only hoped everything would go off without a hitch.

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-A/N-
I wrote something, fam! In my defense, depression is a hell of a drug. But I'm getting there. Wonderland is almost at 20k reads and I am SHOOK, guys. How did this happen? Rebekah and I will have to cook up something special for when we hit it.
Thanks for sticking with me. This chapter is dedicated to smecychic for getting my butt in gear by hounding me. Honestly, bless you girl.