TITLE: Love and War

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

DISCLAIMER: The WWE and all the characters in it; belong to the almighty Vince McMahon and the WWE Inc. Except for the ones that I myself create.

RATING: PG-13.

SUMMARY: A new WWE Diva is the sister of a Superstar, but she's not just there in the WWE to wrestle.

TIMELINE: 2002 and onwards.

DISTRIBUTION: You want you can have it; just tell me where you put it.

PAIRING: Shane McMahon/Beth (BJ), Steve Austin/Debra

NOTES: I started to write this long before the brand extension, Stone Cold's departure, Ric Flair turning into an evil jerk and Eric Bischoff - son of Satan - showed up. And before Stone Cold and Debra got divorced.

Bethany Jaide Williams stepped out of the torrential downpour and into the undersized, mutedly lit diner just outside of San Antonio, Texas. Fatigued she unhurriedly removed her coat, shaking off the excess rain drops and then walked away from the doorway to glimpse across the diner for her older brother and her sister-in law. Eventually after a few moments of searching, she spotted them sitting in a shadowy corner and she went over to join them.

"Hey Stevie… Deb," she said sitting down with them. "So what's all the mystery about? You couldn't just come to my apartment?"

Steve looked exceedingly guilt-ridden and tremendously uneasy, she'd never before seen those precise sentiments on his face and she couldn't help but be captivated. At long last he spoke, "Well Bethie… I need ya to do me a favour. A teensy little favour."

Beth was apprehensive, the last time he had asked her to do him a favour she had ended up in jail for the night - well, at least until her parents came down to pick her up. Steve was very lucky no charges were filed or she would have killed him. "What sort of favour?"

Debra took over from her disconcerted spouse, "He wants ya to spy on McMahon."

"I thought that you and McMahon were *finally* friends?" Beth asked them perplexed.

Steve's face turned an intense scarlet from mortification. "Not anymore," was all he said. Beth said nothing and merely waited for her brother to elaborate, in due course he did. "I defected to WCW… the Alliance."

"The what?" When he gave her a funny look she half-heartedly came clean, "I don't watch it."

"What?! Why the hell not? I'm the only brother ya got and I'm in it," he yelled loudly, only calming down when he noticed every one of the diner's few patrons were staring.

"Ya know that wrestling never really interested me. Even when ya'll made me take lessons," she answered honestly.

Both Steve and Debra just stared at her and finally Steve spoke, "What?! Just tell me when ya last saw it and I'll fill in the blanks."

"Wrestlemania 17. Ya'll were in the main event and ya made me watch it," Beth replied, "But why do I need to have blanks filled in?"

"So ya can apply for a job with McMahon" he explained. "You still can wrestle, can't ya?" When she looked at him, he replied with "What?!"

In the dead of night Beth sat on her window-seat and stared out of her bedroom window at the San Antonio skyline. She couldn't believe that she'd in reality agreed to this harebrained scheme of Steve's and Debra's. How was she gonna pull this off?

She had a scheduled time with Vince McMahon in two days and everything else had been prearranged so nothing would expose her, Steve had even managed to arrange for JR to keep quiet. Steve had really gone all out this time, setting her up with a new name and ID so that Vince wouldn't get guess the connection... even with her Texas accent.

The idea was that she'd walk into that office as Beth Jaide, Wrestling Diva and not Bethany Jaide Williams, High School P. E teacher. It was times like this that she wished that she had a nice *ordinary* family. Beth sighed, she supposed it couldn't do any harm... after all she was only gonna be fooling Vince McMahon.

Two days later she found herself sitting in the waiting room outside of Vince McMahon's office wearing the most revealing and yet professional outfit she had ever seen - courtesy of her sister-in-law. She had been sitting there staring at the wall for an hour and a half, when she got an attack of the jitters and convinced herself that this plan was a mammoth blunder on her part. She was going to be caught, maybe even arrested and Steve was gonna get fired, she just couldn't see any other way for this situation to end.

"Ms. Jaide," a cold female voice said breaking her away from her thoughts.

"Yeah."

"Mr. McMahon will see you now," McMahon's secretary, Beth told her.

"Thank ya'll," she replied standing up. She took a deep breath and headed into the abyss, cursing her brother's name as she went..

She was flabbergasted when she entered Vince McMahon's office, there was a seemingly normal guy sitting behind the desk and not the tyrant that Steve had told her resided there.

"Ms. Jaide, please take a seat," he told her without looking up.

Beth quickly sat down and waited for him to get to her. She suddenly thought about revising the non-ogreish opinion since this seemed to be an exercise in torturing perspective recruits.

All of a sudden without warning he looked up, "I've reviewed your tapes and clippings. Now tell me why I should hire you?"

"Well, because..." she started to say but was interrupted by the office door opening and an older guy rushing in.

The guy turned to her and shook her hand. "Hi, I'm Ric Flair, co-owner. Sorry I'm late, but *someone* forgot to tell me about this meeting."

"It's okay," Beth told Ric, as she watched Vince's face contort from a smile to a mask of pure hatred.

"So where were we?"

Vince snarled as he answered, "Ms. Jaide was just about to tell me why I... we should hire her."

Ric nodded, "I'm listening."

Beth looked at both men and smiled, "Because I'm good."

Vince smiled at her, "How good?"

Beth leaned forward just enough to let McMahon show himself up as a pervert, "*Very* good."

McMahon leaned back in his chair and muttered, "I'll bet you are."

She stole a glance at Ric Flair and he winked in return, that's when she realised that he too was in on the plan. Vince and Ric asked her more questions, such as how did she think she'd get along with the other superstars and how she'd handle the constant travel. Half an hour later she was finally allowed to leave with the promise from Vince that he'd let her know by the end of business the decision.

She walked out of the building and felt an immense sense of relief. She had survived the interview without being caught and executed by McMahon and now it seemed like Steve had arranged another allies in Ric Flair. Beth hailed a cab and headed back to her hotel room to await the verdict.

The call came at eight o'clock, long after she'd expected it. "Hello?" she answered knowing full well that it would have to be Vince, because Steve had called her earlier to ask how things had gone from her point of view.

"Ms. Jaide... It's Mr. McMahon."

"Oh yes, Mr. McMahon."

Vince seemed to take a deep breath, "I just wanted to tell you..."

"Yes,” she repeated barely breathing.

"Welcome to the WWE" McMahon finished.

Beth didn't know why those four words brought her such a sense of joy, after all this wasn't her career choice it was a favour for her brother. "Thank ya'll" she replied.

"No problem" Vince told her, "Come by my office tomorrow morning and I'll set you up with a guide. Someone who'll show you the ropes... at least for awhile."

"I'll be there."

"See you tomorrow" Vince said hanging up.

Beth hung onto the phone for a few extra seconds taking it all in. Steve's plan had actually worked... well at least part of it had, she was in. She quickly dialled his and Debra's number but got the machine. "Stevie, I'm in... guess I'll see ya at work."

Shane McMahon was having the most awful eighteen months of his life and his father wasn't helping matters. The nastiest part was that his supposedly loving and loyal wife, Marissa told him that she'd been having an affair with one of his best friends, Luke and she wanted a divorce. Then came the shocker; she didn't want to wait for one, no separation period there, she wanted one in a hurry so she could marry Luke before the baby came. That's right she was knocked up by his so-called friend, at least he knew it wasn't his because she hadn't let him touch her in almost a year.

Ever since then he'd buried himself in his work at least until his company had been lost. Then he'd had to beg his dad for a job and once he was given one he'd unenthusiastic to give himself a moments break and now his dad wanted him to play baby-sitter to some new Diva, a job much better suited to his spoilt and bratty sister. He guessed it was some sort of castigation.

"Shane... Shane. Are you listening to me?" Vince demanded trying to gain his son's attention.

"Yeah", Shane replied scowling. "Why can't Steph..."

"She's busy dealing with her divorce," Vince cut him off. "Besides your sister can be intimidating at the best of times and I want this new girl to be... comfortable with the WWE."

"And there's no one else who could do that?"

Vince looked his eldest child straight in the eye, "I picked you. I know that you, even after that WCW crap you pulled will not betray me to Flair. And I want... no I need the new girl to see the McMahon side of things."

Shane groaned, "Sure."

"Shane, it's important that we gain some new allies. Ric Flair is entirely too popular with the Superstars," Vince told him.

"I understand" Shane answered. "You want me to turn her to the dark-side."

Vince nodded, "It seems you really do understand after all."

Beth was still panicky, but at the same time she also felt euphoric. She vaguely wondered if this was part of what attracted Steve and Debra into the business. She unhurriedly made her way up to McMahon's office and told his secretary that she'd arrived, before taking a seat and settling down to wait. She'd barely taken her seat when the secretary announced that Mr. McMahon was ready to see her, so she stood up and entered his office. This time instead of McMahon being alone there was someone else with him. A cute someone.

"Ms. Jaide," Vince said greeting her. "Once again. Welcome to the WWE."

"Thank ya'll" Beth replied taking a seat.

Vince smiled warmly at her and said, "There are several things that we need to work out today. Unfortunately I'm busy, so my son Shane will guide you through the process. Isn't that right, Shane-O?"

"Yeah," the cute man said tetchily.

"Why don't you start right now?" Vince recommended.

Shane stood silently and then turned to Beth, "Come on." Then he walked away leaving her to follow along behind him.

Vince watched his son leave with the WWE's most up-to-date attainment trailing behind and wondered what had happened to the old Shane-O. The one who had no trouble gaining the nerve to stand up to his father, to partake in street fight's and who tried to put him out of business. Surely his divorce couldn't have affected him that much. Vince sighed and thought that maybe... hopefully this assignment would snap him out of his slump and bring back at least part of the man his son used to be.

Shane was silent as he walked through the headquarters' of the WWE, only speaking when he had to point something out to the woman trailing behind him. He knew he was being discourteous and juvenile, but he took exception to the task he had been given and in turn her. If she hadn't of come along then he could've spent the day happily brooding in his office taking no notice of the world and everyone in it, instead he now had to tour some *diva* around the building and show her the proverbial ropes. Maybe if he headed down to the gym area he could introduce her around and dump her on someone else, then he could still get in a good six hours brooding before he had to go home to his parent's house. He dragged her inside the gym area and to his displeasure, he saw no one there.

She chose that moment to speak, "Are ya always this bad-mannered or is it just for my benefit?"

Shane turned around and looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. In a way he was, when she'd entered his father's office he hadn't really even noticed that she was a girl. Finally he saw that not only was she female, but she was an attractive one. She was someone that at one point in time he might've even been interested in... Before Marissa.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "My father ordered me into this and..."

"Ya didn't wanna do it?"

"Yes," he replied somewhat mortified.

"Don't worry about it, I know the feelin'."

Shane looked at her with curiosity, "Domineering father?"

"Overbearing older brother," she told him smiling.

Shane took a deep breath, "Want to start over?"

"Sure."

Shane turned away from her and then turned back, "Hello. I'm Shane McMahon and I'll be your tour guide and general trouble-shooter."

Beth laughed, "Hi, I'm BJ."

Shane grabbed her hand, "Welcome to the WWE. Let's show you around."

Beth was still laughing as Shane dragged her off in the direction that they'd just come from, apparently determined to start the tour all over again.

Two nights later...

Beth stood apprehensively backstage at Smackdown. She wasn't wrestling herself or anything like that, in fact she was only there because Shane had decided it was the best time to introduce her around to the other Superstars and show her what the backstage was really like. From what she'd seen in the past half hour, it was rapid and disorganized. She was so caught up in watching the activity flurry around her, that when a hand came down on her shoulder it startled her so much that she shrieked.

"Sorry," Shane said turning her to face him.

"Jeez Shane," Beth said trying to calm herself. "Ya scared the life outta me."

"I thought you saw me coming," Shane replied winking.

Beth just stared at him, "One day... I'm gonna get ya for all of this."

"No doubt," Shane agreed laughing for the first time in over a year. "It's time for you to meet some of your new co-workers."

"Lead on McMahon" Beth told him.

As Shane led her through the corridors of the arena, he asked her, "So what do you think so far?"

"Chaotic," was her only answer.

"Yeah" Shane agreed, "But eventually the bedlam... it kinda boosts your ego... you get off on it."

"Really?" Beth replied rolling her eyes. She couldn't imagine the atmosphere effecting her in that way, especially in that way.

Shane smiled at her, "Yeah... At least most of us do."

Before she could say anything she bumped into something large. Looking up she found herself staring into the eyes of an extremely large man. "Sorry?" she said softly, her voice a mixture of shock and awe.

"Show," Shane said greeting the man. "Meet BJ... our newest Diva."

"Nice to meet you," the man Shane had called show said smiling down at her.

Beth smiled back absently, "Yeah. Nice to meet ya too."

"See you 'round," was all he said as he moved on.

Beth let go of a breath that she hadn't realised she was holding and looked towards Shane, who was laughing. "What?" she asked him.

"You were scared of him."

"So..." Beth began, "... he's big."

Shane hugged her in a brotherly way, "He wouldn't hurt a fly. If he did... Well let's just say that I'd have been squashed a long time ago."

Beth looked at him, "What did ya do?"

Shane looked at her shaking his head, "You really don't watch do you?" Without waiting for a reply he continued, "It's a long, boring story and better left not talked about."

"Okay," Beth agreed, "So what are we gonna do now?"

Shane scrunched up his face, "We go see my dad."

Vince McMahon stared at himself in the mirror, admiring his looks and kept telling himself he was still a stud. After a few moments he wandered over to one of the Italian leather couches that were in his private office and marvelled at his own brilliance. This new girl... this BJ, was just what he needed... needed to get at Austin and Flair. With the new girl firmly on his side he could use her to infiltrate Flair's inner circle and destroy it from the inside and then... then he'd be top-dog once again. And he might not have to do it... he might not have to destroy the one thing that meant more to him than his own wife and children.

A knock at the door brought an end to his scheming and he said, "Come in."

The door opened and the two people he'd been waiting for entered. Shane and BJ. He stared at BJ for a moment and once again thought that there was something familiar about her, but shrugged it off as paranoia. At this moment he didn't trust anyone, not even his own family... or that suck up Angle.

"Hey dad," Shane said in greeting. "Here she is."

"I can see that Shane," Vince answered. "How are you tonight, BJ?"

"I'm fine, Mr. McMahon," Beth answered looking around. "This is a nice office."

"I like it." Vince stared at his newest recruit and said, "I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Shane asked.

Vince stood up and walked over to Beth, "Time for the world to meet a new Diva."

"Huh?" Beth said bewildered.

"I have a job for you," Vince told her, "Tonight... you will interfere in a match."

"Okay," Beth agreed.

Shane was the one who was hesitant, "What sort of match?" He was worried; he didn't want his dad to stick her in the middle of a hardcore match or something.

Vince turned to Shane, "Relax Shane-O. It's a single's match."

"Who's single's match?" he asked not convinced.

"Jericho's."

Beth looked at Vince, "What do I have to do?"

Vince smiled predatorily, "Just run in and knock out Jericho's opponent with a steel chair."

Shane spoke up, "Who's Jericho's opponent?"

"Austin."

"Austin?" she asked trying to remember how to breathe. Vince McMahon wanted her to hit her brother with a steel chair... was he nuts, she'd be killed or worse.

Vince smirked, "Yep... the Texas Rattlesnake is about to be defanged."

Shane seized her arm and started to pull her out of the office before his dad had her dancing around the ring naked or something. He was almost all the way out when he heard his father call his name.

"Shane?"

He stuck his head back in and said, "What?"

Vince's face contorted at the use of the much hated word. "Send Jericho in here" Vince replied, "I need to tell him the plan."

"Okay," Shane mumbled leaving. Once he and Beth were outside he turned to her, "Don't do it."

"What? Hit that Austin guy over the head?"

"Yeah," Shane said, "You don't need to piss off Austin, especially not on your first night."

Beth smiled, "Don't worry I'll survive."

Shane's forehead creased in concern, "I hope."

At that moment Torrie Wilson walked past and Shane called her over. "Hey Tor" he said greeting the blonde beauty.

"Hi Shane. Gonna introduce me?" she asked smiling.

"Torrie Wilson meet BJ" Shane said making the introduction. Then he turned to Torrie, "I have to go fetch Jericho, so could you..."

"Show BJ around?"

"Yeah."

"No problem" Torrie said taking Beth's hand and leading her away from Shane.

They'd rounded the corner before Beth managed to regain her voice, "So where are we going?"

"The Diva's locker room" Torrie answered, "You have to know who to befriend and who to avoid."

"And change..." Beth added unsurely.

Torrie stopped and turned to her, "Vince has you wrestling already?"

"I have to hit someone over the head with a chair" Beth replied.

"You shouldn't have to change to do that" Torrie told her as they started walking again. "Who do you have to hit?" she asked a few moments later.

"Austin."

Torrie stopped dead, "Well... it was nice to know you."

"Huh?"

"Austin's the biggest bastard in the business... well there are a few others, but he's up there in the top three," Torrie explained, "You are gonna be a dead woman if you do it."

"But if I don't Vince will probably fire me" Beth added.

Torrie shook her head in sympathy, "Like I said... it was nice knowing you."

Then they continued walking on.

Shane arrived at Jericho's locker room and immediately banged on the door, he didn't want to this he wanted to make sure no one bothered BJ.

"Go away" came a voice from inside.

"It's Shane" he said.

"So, buzz off."

Shane sighed, "Vince wants to see you, now."

"He does. Why?"

"He has a plan" was all Shane said.

A moment later the door swung open and Jericho walked out and passed Shane without even looking at him. Then when he was part way down the corridor he stopped and turned around.

"Don't think I'm going because you told me to" Jericho yelled, "I'm going because *I* want to."

Jericho then stomped off down the corridor towards Vince's office and Shane shook his head. After a second he took off towards the Diva's locker room, hoping that was where Torrie had taken BJ.

Beth was sitting on a bench inside the locker room with Torrie after she'd been introduced to Trish, Lita and Jackie. It was a lot to take in but so far everyone had seemed nice and then she looked up and saw something scary.

"Who's the fresh meat?"

Torrie quickly butted in, "This is BJ, Jazz."

"What kind of stupid name is BJ?" Jazz asked sneering.

"What kinda stupid name is Jazz?" Beth rebutted, trying not to show fear.

Jazz glared at her, "Oh no way... another Texan? I hate Texan's."

"At least I don't come from the land of the Shemale's" Beth said.

Jazz walked up to her, "What did *you* just say?"

Before Beth could reply, Torrie stepped in. "Jazz" she said, "Don't you have a match?"

Jazz looked up at the clock and said, "Yeah, but I'll be seeing her."

After Jazz left Torrie turned to her, "You must have a death wish. First Austin and now Jazz."

Beth smiled at her new friend, "Maybe I do."

Torrie couldn't help but smile back, "Why do I always end up befriending the crazy one's?"

"You're lucky."

Both women cracked up laughing as they sat there waiting for Shane to come and collect Beth for her big moment.

Twenty minutes later Beth stood with Shane in the lobby of the arena. He was fussing over her like some mother hen and driving her nuts.

"Shane, I'll be fine" she assured him for the fiftieth time.

"I know" Shane admitted grudgingly, "Are you sure about the plan?"

"Yes."

"Okay, go get yourself a rattlesnake" Shane told her giving her a quick hug.

Beth smiled at him once more and disappeared into the main seating area. Shane watched her go and then headed backstage to watch from the wings and wait for her to head back there after the match.

Beth took her seat in the third row back and watched as her brother's music hit and he came out to the ring. She was proud of him and all, but also dreading the phone she'd get later tonight in which he'd yell at her for McMahon's plan.

When Jericho came out she watched as they went at it and waited for her cue. It came much too soon for liking, but she saw Jericho roll out the ring and go for the steel chair and the ref take it from him and lay it down near the security wall.

She stood up and rushed the wall, security made nothing but a token protest to stop her and before she knew it she was over the wall and Jericho was distracting the ref. Beth picked up the chair and climbed into the ring, she saw her brother turn around and the look of surprise on his face as she whacked him with the chair. After that she rolled out the ring and crouched down while Jericho covered her brother and the ref counted 1, 2, 3. She climbed back into the ring and held Jericho's hand in victory and then headed back stage with him.

Steve looked up and she saw the anger burning in his eyes and knew that she'd have a lot of explaining to do over this incident. All of that was forgotten when she got backstage and was swept up in a hug from Shane.

"Good work" he told her.

"Thanks."

Jericho looked at them and gagged, "You guys do know that this is Smackdown and not Love Connection, right?"

Shane stared at the former undisputed champion, "We're friends."

"Sure you are junior... sure you are" Jericho said as he walked off.

Beth stared at Jericho, "He's a strange guy."

"You have no idea" Shane replied, disturbed by what Jericho had implied. He wasn't looking for another relationship, but was it possible that his role and feelings of protecting BJ had turned into something else and if so... how did she feel?

Beth sat in her hotel room praying that Steve would understand that she'd hit him for the greater good of his plan and not out of some selfish childhood vendetta. Unfortunately she knew her brother and he'd interrogate her until she cracked. At the knock on her door she jumped.

"Who is it?" she called out nervously.

"It's Torrie," a cheerful voice filtered through the door. "Some of us are going to a club. Wanna come?"

It took her a whole two seconds to decide between waiting in dread and hiding out with a group of people away from the hotel. "Sure."

"Meet you downstairs in ten minutes then" Torrie said.

"Okay" Beth replied as she searched for something suitable to wear and went to get ready. Hopefully by the time she'd returned to the hotel Steve would be asleep and not waiting outside her room.

"Steve clam down," Ric Flair said for the millionth time. "McMahon must have made her do it."

Steve continued to pace Ric's hotel room. "I know McMahon probably made her, but she didn't have to do it so hard," he grumbled. "I was in the emergency room for nearly two hours."

Debra giggled, but was silenced by Steve's icy glare.

"Okay, she hit you hard. Big deal."

"Big deal?"

Ric nodded, "She's fooling them, isn't that what you wanted?"

"I didn't want her to hit me!"

"Steve," Debra said. "She'll apologize and explain it all by the morning. I guarantee it."

"Okay," Steve grumbled, "But it better be one *hell* of an explanation."

"Hey Shane-O," Test said approaching his friend in the bar. "What's up?"

"What do you mean?" Shane asked staring into his drink like it was the only thing that existed.

Test stared at him, "Because you don't drink and you're sitting in a bar with a drink."

"It's nothing..."

"It's gotta be a woman," Test said taking a seat. "The last time I saw you drink was the 'Marissa' situation. Is it over that honey you've been *showing* around?"

"Her name is BJ."

"Okay, it is her," Test replied. "What's the problem? She's hot and probably jump at the chance to jump into bed with the big bad boss’ son."

Shane glared at him, "She's not like that!"

Test looked at him. "Oh man, you are *so* hooked."

"I know. Why do think I'm drinking?"

Test and Shane sat in silence for a few minutes. "Hey," Test said suddenly, "Ask the girl out. What's the worst that could happen?"

"She could say no and avoid me for all eternity."

"So, she's only a woman," Test responded looking at a woman at the bar.

Shane shook his head, "It's just better if I stay her friend. At least until I work out how she feels about me."

"Whatever," Test told him. "See ya later Shane-O. I see a woman who wants to take the Test."

Shane watched his friend leave and was grateful that Test hadn't married his sister after all. He finished his drink and headed over to the elevators to go to his room, hoping that a good night's rest would give him a better perspective. As the doors opened he found himself staring at BJ.

As BJ left her room to go meet Torrie and whoever else was going, she found herself checking around paranoidly for her brother. She just couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to get her for earlier. She climbed into the elevator and breathed a sigh of relief that Steve was no where in sight; she could relax even if it was only for a minute. The elevator doors opened and she found herself staring at Shane.

"Hey," she said. "What ya doin'?"

"Going up to bed," Shane answered with a smile. "What about you?"

"Torrie asked me to go out with her and some of the others."

"Who are the others?" Shane asked nosily.

Beth shook her head, "No idea."

"Well..."

Shane was cut off by Torrie who ran up to them. "I thought you weren't coming," she said bubbly, “Come on."

"'Night," she said to Shane as she was dragged off.

"'Night," Shane replied as the elevator doors closed, shutting out his view of her retreating form.

Early the next morning, after a call from Vince McMahon himself, Beth was packing up her stuff. Unfortunately she wasn't heading home; instead she was being packed off for a two-day intensive WWE training camp... at Vince's request. He told her she had potential, it just had to be refined. She didn't even want imagine how anyone could *refine* a persons wrestling potential in two-days. She finished packing her stuff and sat there staring at the phone, contemplating not calling her brother. She knew she had too, if she didn't clear the air with him now she'd pay for it later. She picked up the phone and dialled Steve and Debra's extension.

"That better be ya appologizin'," Steve's angry voice yelled down the line.

"It is."

"Then explain yourself," he told her.

Beth took a deep breath, "Vince told me too."

"And ya couldn't have said 'no'?" Steve replied. A few seconds later he said, "Why are ya calling McMahon, Vince?"

It was typically her brother to blow off one issue for something else, but she also knew he'd be back on topic soon enough... it wasn't over, unless she got in first. "He told me too."

"That son-of-a..."

"Steve," she said. "I really am sorry about the chair. I only did it to save your plan... I didn't enjoy it."

"I know," Steve sighed. "Just watch out for McMahon... and that son of his."

"Shane's okay."

"No, he isn't," Steve told her. "I used to work for the guy, he's just as bad as Vince. Promise me you'll be careful?"

"I will."

"And that ya won't hit me with any more chairs?"

"I wil-won't," she corrected.

"See ya soon and keep me informed," Steve told her hanging up.

Beth hung up the phone and sighed with relief, she figure Debra must be a saint to put up with Steve's moods. She heard a knock at the door and Shane's voice.

"Come on. Dad has a car waiting for you downstairs."

She picked up her stuff and headed off for her training camp... whatever the hell that was.

The two day intensive training camp turned out to be two weeks instead. It was worse than any boot camp shown on the Maury Povich show, if he sent those wild teens to Vince's so-called training camp they'd straighten up no problem. When all's said and done after that hell she'd wanted to call Steve and tell him to go straight to hell and take the deal with him; if training was anything like working in the damn WWE then no way was she going to survive more than a week before she died of exhaustion or contorted her body in such a strange way that she'd be stuck in that position for life. On top of all that she now found herself in some strange city wondering what was going on.

She hadn't seen hide or hair of anyone with the surname McMahon since she had arrived and she had sort of expected - hoped - that Shane would be there to meet her. Trying to tell herself that it didn't matter that she hadn't seen or spoken to him since being dropped off at the camp, he was a McMahon and if even half of what Steve had told her about how manipulative and sneaky they were then it was better that she put Shane way out of her mind. Besides the gossip around the locker room was that Shane wasn't interested in dating since his messy and extremely public divorce, in fact if the rumours were true he was either gay or a monk.

A knock at her door sounded and BJ tried to ignore the way her heart started racing at the thought that it could be Shane. Throwing the door open wide, she was bitterly disappointed; Shane was not the man standing on the other side and even though it was a McMahon, it wasn't the one she wanted to see.

"Mr. McMahon," BJ said as politely as she could. "What can I do for you?"

Looking one of her employers and her brother's worst enemy and she sincerely hoped that he wasn't there to try anything funny on her. If McMahon - at least Vince McMahon - laid one finger on her she was going to break his face.

"Actually I just wanted to drop off your schedule," Vince told her. "I would've had my secretary do it, but she up and quit on me last week."

"Thanks," BJ replied grabbing the paperwork from Vince's wrinkled hand. "I'll look through it."

Vince didn't move, "Maybe you'd like some help while going over it?"

"Actually Vince... I'm sure I'll be fine with it. If I have any problems I'll call Shane."

At the sound of his son's name, Vince scowled and then suddenly he smirked. "I wouldn't if I were you. Shane and Marissa need time to see if they can salvage their relationship."

"Really?" BJ couldn't help but squeak out, betraying the hurt that slashed across her fragile heart. "I thought she had remarried?"

Vince just smirked sardonically, "That's never stopped a McMahon before."

"Goodnight, Mr. McMahon," Beth replied shutting the door firmly in his face.

Beth tossed and turned all night, waking up with the most vile headache that had ever beleaguered a human being. After gulping down the aspirin she had managed to find at the bottom of her toiletries bag, Beth slowly stripped naked and stepped into the shower mentally wishing the aches and pains away. It may not have worked quite the way she had hoped, but she at least felt part way normal by the time she was towelled off and dressed for the day.

With growing trepidation she headed out of her comfortable room and downstairs to the hotel's dining room. Upon arrival she was relived to see only one other wrestler was down there, Ric Flair. She was about to walk over to him when she remembered her damn role, she was supposed to be anti-Flair and pro-McMahon - hence she couldn't be seen eating with the enemy.

Choosing a table as far away from Flair as she could get, Beth settled down and pretended to study the menu. She had been doing it for only a minute or so when she heard someone approach, thinking that it was most probably the waiter/waitress coming to collect her order she looked up and got a surprise. Shane was standing there.

"Hi."

"Hi," she said to him warily. "I thought that you were home?"

"I missed my flight," Shane replied sitting down across from her. "Did you get your script?"

Beth nodded while pretending to study the menu with great interest. "Yeah, your dad brought it around."

"He did? Why?"

"Something about his secretary quitting."

Before Shane could answer the waitress arrived and Beth gave her order, as did Shane. When they were alone again he started to speak.

"Robin was at her post this morning, so if she quit... dad hired her twin."

"Why would he lie?"

Shane just shook his head, "He just does."

Beth took a chance, "So you weren't reconciling with your ex-wife last night?"

"No chance. I missed my flight and had to wait until another seat opened up, since dad took the last company plane," Shane told her. "I had actually planned to arrive before you did."

"Really?"

Shane nodded, although he didn't tell her about the plan he'd had to take her out to dinner and then hopefully back to her room for desert. "Yeah, unfortunately it never seems to work out the way I'd planned."

Beth answered honestly, "It never does."