Buried Alive - Chapter 2
AUTHORS NOTES: There is a Corporate Ministry, but Vince is NOT nor WILL be the Higher Power in this fic (I have a much different fate for him), no known wrestling figure (unless I really get pissed at Eric Bischoff sometime during the making of this.) will play a Higher Power for the Undertaker. Instead he will be in all his demonic glory in this story. Also there is no McMahon/Helmsley union of ANY type at this point in time. Sable's still gone and Luna is in the Ministry, as well as the Hardyz and Lita. I know Lita appeared on TV just prior to WM2000, but she's in a brief cameo in this chapter. Okay, got all that? On with the story.
Stephanie McMahon walked down the corridors of the arena, trying to ease some of the nervous energy inside her before she headed to the ring. It had been almost a year since tragedy struck with the death of Stone Cold Steve Austin. It was a night that changed everything in the WWF and around it, including her own family.
Only a year, Steph thought bitterly. A year, which saw the emotional and physical downfall of a man she'd always considered strong in her father, and her own brother commit a betrayal she'd never thought possible.
All because of one demonic act. All because of the Undertaker. Stephanie could still remember the tone of her father's voice when he called her and her mother Linda to inform of Austin's death.
"I wanted to break him, I wanted Taker to strip him of his dignity, not KILL him!" she heard the shock and disbelief and perhaps a bit of despair in her father's voice.
It was that night that she saw her father as, not the strong rock she'd always know, but as a vulnerable man, who didn't know what to do next. She knew then that nothing would ever be the same.
Stephanie didn't know how right she would be.
Taker then started to attack her family, professionally and personally. He broke into the McMahon home, rifled thorough Stephanie and Linda's; personal things photos taken of Stephanie, which the McMahons hadn't know the source of until later, while she was undressing; the implied sexual innuendo towards Stephanie and much more.
Then came the black wedding.
Stephanie was kidnapped from her father's limousine shortly after the Rock lost his title to Mankind, who'd dedicated the win to Steve Austin's memory at the April PPV BACKLASH. She was kept in a dark room, tied to one of Taker's symbols dressed by Luna Vachon, and paraded out to the ring to be married in a dark ceremony to the Undertaker.
If it weren't for then newcomer the Big Show, she'd be the Undertaker's wife today, something she was eternally grateful did not happen.
Her father suffered a mild heart attack from that incident. Then came the revelation that Shane not only orchestrated his family's stalking and her kidnapping, but knew what Taker had been planning to do to Steve Austin all along!
That caused her father to have a small stroke. Stephanie and her mother would never know what happened next. All they knew was that Shane and Undertaker, a few days after they revealed their alliance to the world, visited Vince in his hospital room while Vince was recovering from his stroke.
Nobody every found out what the duo did or said to Vince. All anybody knew was that as Shane and the Undertaker were leaving Vince suffered a second, far more severe stroke that to this day left the former chairman of the WWF a vegetable in need of round the clock care.
After months after that incident of seeing Shane and Taker with the Corporate Ministry as it was rechristened, run roughshod over the Federation and Taker's stranglehold on the WWF title, Stephanie McMahon had enough.
She stared recruiting an "army of Light" to combat the Ministry's controlling darkness.
The Big Show went to Steph's side right off the bat, still feeling responsible fro Stephanie's safety after the Black wedding, since Vince could no longer do it himself.
Other's included her ex, Test, who'd she'd dated for a bit after the black wedding debacle, Chyna who'd separated from Shane's original Corporation after the reveal of the Corporate Ministry, wanting nothing to do with Taker or his dark ways, and Kane, Debra Jeff Jarrett, and Owen Hart.
Kane's help came of no surprise, but she was surprised that Debra, Jeff and Owen would come to her aid. Especially surprising was Debra's hatred of the Undertaker. But she wouldn't question it. She could use whatever help she could get.
Stephanie walked down the hall smiling as she spied two of the newbie wrestlers, Lita and David Darklight? Darknight? Steph couldn't remember exactly, flirting with each other.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the little princess?" Hunter Hearst Helmsley's abrasively cocky voice filled the air.
Stephanie groaned inwardly and turned to face him. "I'm not a 'princess' and I've got things to do," She moved to move past the Corporate Ministry member. Hunter grabbed her wrist.
"Hey baby, what's your hurry?" Hunter sneered in a sickenly sweet voice, "I know more ways to melt that icy exterior of yours than your virgin ass can imagine."
"I bet," said Stephanie trying to get her wrist out of Hunters iron grip. "If you'll excuse me - "
"Look you little -" Hunter began pinning Stephanie roughly against one of the sound crates.
"Hey!" a voice called out. Hunter and Steph turned to the voice and suddenly Stephanie's ex, Andrew 'Test' Martin came towards them.
"Maybe you'd better take your hands of her Helmsley," Test demanded.
"Why, you certainly not getting anything out of her anymore," Hunter smirked.
Suddenly Hunter felt himself being thrown up against a wall. Test grabbed Hunter by the shirt.
"You stay away from her!" Test growled, "Or I'll make sure you wish you'd never laid eyes on her." Shoving Helmsley back up against the wall, Test turned his attention to Stephanie.
"You all right, Steph?" Test asked his former girlfriend.
"Yeah Andrew, I'm fine," Stephanie said calling Test by his given name.
"Come on, let's get to the ring, before something worse comes crawling out of the sewers," said Andrew. With a hateful backwards glance to Helmsley. Andrew and Steph headed to the ring.
David Darknight watched the entire altercation with concern while flirting with Lita. He knew what Stephanie was trying to do and only hoped that he could aid in her being successful.
Because what was about to happen was going to test Stephanie's group in ways that not even Stephanie could understand.
As he watched Stephanie and Andrew walk towards the arena, he could only pray for her safety.
"Good luck Stephanie McMahon" David whispered.
It was almost time. Soon he'd reveal himself to the Undertaker and the battle they'd waged for years would begin again.
Get ready Taker, David thought heading for his bike. I'm finally bringing you down and taking back the innocent soul you've taken.