My Own Prison

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Stacy stood just in the doorway of the buffet room, relieved when she spotted him inside.

She'd gone to Shawn Michaels' locker room awhile earlier in search of the man, but had found the room empty. After a small search, here he was...

She bit her lip, as Shawn was not the only person in the room. She knew she had to be discreet about what she needed to tell him...

Letting out a sigh, the leggy diva strode into the room, deciding what tack she should take. She really didn't know HBK very well, though he'd been so nice to her by visiting her in the hospital and saving her when he thought she'd needed help. Still, she felt a little odd about doing this. For some reason, she felt awkward. She didn't want to make him think her sole reason for coming here was just to see him. Lord knew, the man would probably think she was some silly girl with a schoolyard crush.

Stacy walked over to the table bearing fruit and began preparing herself a platter. As she was selecting slices of pineapple and kiwi, she was furiously planning what to say to Michaels when she was suddenly startled by the man himself.

"Hey, Stacy..."

She whirled around, surprised, and he put his hands up as though to calm her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya."

"No, it's okay - you didn't," she replied with a smile.

"I just wanted to know how you're doing these days," Shawn continued, a look of concern coming to his face.

"I'm fine - thank you..." she replied, touched by his concern. Not for the first time, she mentally acknowledged how sweet he was - not to mention good-looking...

"Are you really?" the man asked, concern still apparent in his face. "After all, you just got out of the hospital not long ago..."

Stacy cocked her head to one side, the smile waning and then disappearing from her face. She had to tell him - now. She glanced quickly down at the fruit platter she helt in her hands, then raised her head to squarely meet Shawn's eyes.

"Can we talk for a minute? Privately...?"

Michaels stared at her for a beat, then nodded.

"Of course..." He seemed to get the message of the leggy diva's urgency. "My locker room?" he suggested.

Stacy nodded, and the two of them left the room to go there. Once inside, Shawn reached out for her plate.

"Here...I'll take that."

He placed the platter on a small table in one corner of the room before turning back toward her.

"Make yourself at home," he said warmly, and it was only after she was seated on the couch that he sat as well - opting to sit on the other side of it.

Stacy folded her hands primly over her crossed legs.

"I have to be honest," she began, "I came here a little while ago, looking for you."

"You did?"

"Yes, I...Well, after what happened the other night - in Test's and my match against Chris and Christian, I've been needing to talk to you."

"Hey..." HBK said, putting up one hand as he smiled at her. "There's no need to thank me. I was only doing what was right..."

"No," Stacy said, her brown eyes serious as they met his blues ones. "That's not what I meant...Shawn, I do appreciate you coming to my defense, but..."

"But what? Did Jericho threaten you? Because if he did, don't worry - I promised him I'd kick his ass if he touched you again..."

"Shawn, Chris and I have been working together," the blonde blurted.

"Come again?" Shawn wasn't sure he correctly heard her.

"We've been working together - plotting and planning...We're trying to help out Lita and Edge..."

"What?" The Heartbreak Kid's face was a mask of confusion. "I'm afraid I'm not following you, Stacy."

"Chris and Edge are trying to get revenge on Test," she explained. "Shawn, my so-called 'boyfriend' raped and blackmailed Lita repeatedly. It went on for a long time."

Michaels' face had drained of all its color as he listened to her. He appeared shocked and was speechless for a few minutes. Then, "Oh, my God...That poor woman." He shook his head, his hands clenching into fists. Lita was a tough girl, and one hell of a wrestler, but Test was a really big, strong, powerful man. It made him sick to think of any woman being violated, and he wanted to beat the living shit out of the Canadian.

"Wait..." he said, gesturing with both hands. "Why would Chris Jericho give a damn about Lita?"

Stacy didn't hesitate for even a second to respond to his question.

"Because she's his cousin..."
 
 
 

Part 18

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