[Kat]
It was as if the air was electrified. The hair on the back of my neck stood up because of it. Something about the night felt unforgettable; it made me feel as if it would be talked about for decades.
Shawn sat with his head in his hands, dressed and ready to go. At least, on the outside. I couldn't see the inner turmoil, but I knew it was there.
I knelt down in front of him, to be at his level. "You don't have to do this," I whispered.
He looked up at me. "Yeah, I do."
I sighed. I had to at least try. "You'd make a good soldier, you know that?"
He did not laugh, or even crack a grin. Instead he said, "I don't want you out there."
"What?" I stood before him. "Why not?"
"If it gets violent, or-"
"It's always violent. Joanie's going!"
"Joanie can handle herself. Besides, she and Paul aren't going either," he said.
"So can I!" I softened my voice. "If there's any time you really need me out there, it's now." I held one of his hands. "You know that. If there's anyone that can calm you down..."
He squeezed my hand in return. "Please."
"Fine. But you have to take me out to dinner later," I joked. It was easier than getting angry.
That got a chuckle out of him, finally. I kissed him softly and asked, "At least be careful?"
"Aren't I always?"
Joanie and Paul walked over to tell us it was time to get ready to walk out. I watched him leave and whispered, "Never."
On my way to Dad's office, Bret sent me a look of disgust. For a second panic seared through my veins; I thought he was onto us. I laughed it off. Of course he couldn't know.
Dad wasn't in his office when I walked in. I contemplated spinning around in his big desk chair before thinking better of it. I pulled a chair from the other side of the desk beside the big chair so I could see the screen of the TV he had sitting there.
It sucked watching Shawn from just a tiny box when I should have been out there with him.
My stomach turned as Bret finished his entrance. This was so not going to be good. Bret may have been an asshole that didn't want to work, but I wouldn't settle it like this.
I was startled from my thoughts when Dad walked in. He was shocked for a moment before he realized it was me. "What are you doing in here?" he asked, sinking into his chair beside me.
"Shawn didn't want me out there," I muttered, settling my folded arms against the desk and laying my head down.
"That's probably for the best," he said.
I perked back up. "For the best? I should be out there! I'm in my ring gear and everything."
"If Shawn didn't want you to go, I wouldn't push him," Dad told me.
"You think I don't know that? That's why I'm here." I didn't mean to be so cutting, but I was a little ticked off at the situation. "I'm his fiance. I know him better than anyone else in the world, and I'm not out there in case he blows up. What if he loses it?"
Dad sighed. "What do you want me to say, Katherine? I'm not the one who told you to sit back here."
"I don't know," I admitted, turning my attention back to the screen. "I'm sorry."
We watched the match for a bit. I wanted to be proud of Shawn if I wasn't so annoyed with him. I always loved his matches.
Dad eventually rose. "I'm going down there."
I stood after him. "Can I come? Please?"
He looked at me thoughtfully. "When the bell rings, get him out of there."
"Thank you!" I hugged him before deciding to follow him and wait from Gorilla. That way I'd be ready.
Paul was standing there already with Joanie.
"Where've you been?" he asked. "I figured you'd want to watch this."
"I was in Dad's office," I answered, not telling him why. I didn't want to admit that I was hiding because I was pissed that Shawn told me to stay backstage. "I'm going out there, when the bell rings."
"Kat--"
"You can come with me if you want, but I'm going," I snapped. No one else was going to tell me what to do that day.
He backed off and went back to watching. He knew pushing me when so much else was going on was a bad idea.
Watching from there was even more nerve-wracking. I started chewing on my nails. I wasn't sure when I developed the habit, but it was recent. Worrying about Shawn was eating away at me. Soon I'd be growing gray hairs, I was sure.
Shawn pulled Bret into his own finisher, the Sharpshooter, and I knew it was over. The bell rang and chaos followed it.
Bret, oblivious to what was going on, reversed the move into something else, continuing to wrestle. When he realized Shawn's music was playing, he released him. Shawn, Bret, and Dad looked to be debating.
I couldn't wait any longer. I hurried down the ramp, Paul and Joanie and whoever else behind me.
I reached them just in time to watch Bret spit in my father's face. As he wiped it away, I urged Shawn out of the ring. I couldn't focus on anything that was going on except for Shawn. I knew two things: Bret was pissed, and we needed to leave.
Paul handed Shawn the title and I grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him back to the back.
Shawn was cursing himself and Bret and the situation, and I was just trying to calm him down.
He shook me off of him to go back to the locker room. I let him go with Paul.
I couldn't just wait around with Joanie the whole time. I was far too anxious for that. I had to keep walking around to try to clear my head.
Finally I found Dad. He was flanked by Pat Patterson and Jerry Brisco, two men I recognized as my dad's trusted friends and employees. They were always around when I was growing up; they were practically my uncles.
Dad's mouth was red and beginning to bruise. He might even have been bleeding. I ran to him.
"Dad! What happened?"
"Nothing." He tried to shoo me away.
Pat took my hand gently. "He's alright," he tried to comfort me. As much as I trusted Pat, I knew he would lie for my father if he felt the need.
Obviously something had happened. "Did Bret hit you?" I asked, releasing Pat and taking his face in my hands so I could see.
Dad pushed me away. "I let him," he said. Before I could even ask what he meant by that, he continued, "I'm fine, stop worrying about me. Worry about Shawn. Just get out of here."
My gut twisted yet again, but I followed my dad's instructions. I found Shawn and the others and we headed back to the hotel.
Shawn and Paul ranted during the ride back. I couldn't even think of anything to say about it.
I tried to get Shawn to talk to me when we got back to our room, but I couldn't get anything else out of him.
"Shawn, it's okay..."
He swept everything off of the dresser in one angry motion, no longer able to hold back. I jumped at the commotion.
"Babe."
He just stared at his own reflection in the mirror, apparently not happy with what he found staring back.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his back. "It's okay. I'm here."
I wasn't sure what to do when I heard the first sob. Soon enough, we sank down to the floor, amongst all the shattered items from the dresser. I held Shawn in my arms as he cried into me, letting it all out.
We stayed there for a long time until I could coax him to bed. There I played with his hair and held him again until he finally fell asleep.
I wouldn't end up sleeping a wink.
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-A/N-
Alright alright alright, ya hoe is back, with an announcement! WONDERLAND HAS SURPASSED 20K READS. 20-FREAKING-THOUSAND, YALL!!!
I'm so excited and I couldn't have done it without you guys. So! I have come up with a contest-y thing to celebrate!
I want YOU GUYS to create something for Wonderland in whatever is your area of expertise (an edit, aesthetic, oneshot, drawing, meme, etc.) and send it to me (I'll have my @s below). I'll post the "winner" (I'll probably end up posting them all) in Wonderland and I might even write a bonus oneshot myself!
Kat's fc is Willa Holland if you want to use her for anything.
You can send me stuff to my insta (@/manthasaurus_rekt) or email me mantha.rules.forever@gmail.com
Just make sure to say you're from Watty or I'll be like whoOm??
I'd love for you guys to participate! Thanks for being so patient❤