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Shawn Michaels made his brisk way down the arena hallway, his mind focused on one thing only.
The Heartbreak Kid had been feuding with Y2J Chris Jericho for the last couple of weeks, and he wasn't the least bit pleased with what he'd seen the previous RAW. In his eyes, it was bad enough that the man was a loudmouthed, arrogant prick, but an entirely different ballgame when he struck out against a woman.
Like millions of others, Shawn had watched in horror as Jericho had smashed Stacy Keibler in the head with that steel chair on the outside of the ring. It certainly had looked to be an accident, but HBK believed otherwise. He was one to cater to the cliches 'Looks are deceiving' and 'Everything is not what it seems.' In his opinion, Y2J had deliberately struck the girl.
After the incident last week, Shawn had found out what hospital Stacy was in, and he'd gone to visit. With a bouquet of daisies in one hand, he'd approached her room almost sheepishly. The tall blonde diva had smiled and looked pleasantly surprised to see him actually there. The truth was, Shawn really didn't know her all that well, though they'd spoken briefly a couple of times. From what he'd gathered during those occasions, Stacy Keibler was a very sweet, good-natured and gracious young woman - and he'd taken an instant liking to her.
Another thing HBK found so very appealing about the leggy diva was that, despite her stunning looks, she seemed totally oblivious of her physical beauty. Stacy was one of the most modest women employed by the WWE - present or past, and he liked that.
Michaels had sat on the chair by Stacy's bedside, and they'd been enjoying a pleasant conversation for awhile until Test had walked in.
The truth be known, Shawn had absolutely no problem with Test, and he respected the fact that the man was Stacy's boyfriend - but the big Canadian had given him a very not-so-veiled dirty look when he'd spotted him there. And after a few niceties with the Toronto native, HBK had left.
He thought about the odd expression that had come over Stacy's face not once, but twice. She'd looked as though she wanted to confess something to him when he'd first stopped by - Shawn couldn't quite comprehend or explain the feeling he'd gotten at that moment. And when Test had come in, a very similar expression had crossed the tall blonde's lovely features. He wondered if all was not so rosy in paradise...
However, he had plenty of time to think about that later. Right now, he had other things to concentrate on, bigger fish to fry...
Shawn finally came to the locker room he'd been seeking, and without warning, he gave the door a swift karate kick, and it swung open violently.
"What the hell - Listen, I'll call you back later!" Chris Jericho cried into his cell phone, which promptly dropped to the floor as HBK rushed over and grabbed him by the throat.
Damn it... The man's grip was pretty damn strong - so much so that Jericho's windpipe was suddenly aching. He stared into the other man's furious face with a bit of fear gleaming in his crystal-blue eyes.
"Listen, you punk..." Shawn spat in a dangerously low voice, his teeth clenched. "If you so much as lay another finger on her ever again, you will pay...I promise you that..."
"What the-" Chris' voice came out in a muffled squeak. "-hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Stacy Keibler, you asshole..." He gave the other man a hard shove as he suddenly released him, and Jericho stumbled back and rubbed at his throat as he stared at Michaels in shock. "If you touch her again, I'll give you a reason to cry...I'll make you wish you were a woman..."
After a beat in which Shawn glared bloody death at Chris, he turned and stormed out of the room.
Y2J stared in shock toward the door through which the man had burst and just departed. All he could think was how much of a mess this whole plan was becoming. He certainly hadn't counted on Shawn Michaels appointing himself Stacy's knight in shining armor.
Damn it...