TITLE: Watching (#2 in The Road Back Series)

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

DISCLAIMER: The WWF and all characters belong to the almighty Vince McMahon and the WWFE.

RATING: PG-13 (swearing).

SUMMARY: Stephanie's POV on Backlash and more of her plot is revealed.

TIMELINE: Backlash 2002.

SPOILERS: Survivor Series 2001 - Backlash 2002.

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

Today is the day. The first WWF pay per view since I was banished. I didn't want to watch it from home or at Shane and Marissa's house, I wanted... no I needed to be there. There were lots of reasons why I wanted to be there, not just in case Hunter dropped down dead, I needed to feel part of it all again if only for a few hours. I'm not quite sure how I managed it but I did wrangle a ticket from daddy. For once I didn't even care if he'd put me in the back row, as long as I was there. Luckily for me daddy thinks all McMahon's should sit in style (or the closest thing to it) and the ticket was for the front row. I walked in with the other ordinary people and took my seat, ignoring the whispers of 'is that the slut' from the crowd surrounding me and closed my eyes feeling the electricity, the emotion of being there. And an amazing thing happened I felt happy, happy for the first time in a long time. Of course my mood was soon broken.

As I began to watch the matches and realised that some of these wrestlers had once been mine and Shane's, that if my so-called good buddy Kurt hadn't turned out to be a traitorous jerk, that I would be the one in charge. That none of this crap would've happened because I would've owned Hunter. But unfortunately things don't always work out the way we plan and I am now reduced to sitting with the commoners. The worse thing was that no one cared, not even daddy. He just pats me on the head and says 'one day when it blows over you can return.' I don't want *one day*, I want now. I want to be back there and I will let nothing stop me.

When Paul Heyman came out with his minion to ringside, I waited patiently for some sort of acknowledgment, after all Paul had been a friend and employee of the Alliance. I didn't miss how his eyes never met mine again after he'd noticed me. That totally pissed me off. After all Shane and I did for that bastard, he blows me off. He'll pay for this. When I'm back he'll pay... and so will that minion of his.

Soon Kurt came out for his match and he surprised me with a smile and a wave. I should've known he acknowledge me, he was after all an old client and friend, even though we've had our rough patches. He even did our secret victory sign after he'd won, I think I miss him most of all... next to daddy of course.

Jericho on the other hand was a different story. He shithead flipped me off when he though no one was looking. I am so glad he lost his damn title, except for the Hunter winning it part. Especially since he is part of the reason I am now an ordinary person, leaving me alone in the ring to be pinned and after I had allowed him to cover me for no reason. I listen to his ungrateful whining and realise how pathetic he's become. Then it hits me, he is almost as pathetic as me and I am saddened. At least now I have a reason to return, so I won't be like him.

When the number one contender's match started I found myself bored. It wasn't like I cared who won the damn thing. I guess a small part of me hoped that Austin would win. Since he'd been such a loyal employee and leader of the Alliance, even after Shane, Paul and I suspected him of being a traitor. Frankly I don't know why he put up with us, especially since he hated my daddy because he was a McMahon and we were two McMahon's... Oh well I guess I'll never know. And I did feel sorry for him losing to Taker, even if I'll never admit it.

Finally the match I had been waiting for arrived. Hulk Hogan came down to the ring first and then Hunter's intro started and I smiled. He made his way slowly down to the ring showing himself off to all the fans and when he climbed up on the apron and looked over the crowd he saw, me. To his credit he didn't show his surprise much, but I could tell he wasn't exactly happy to see me. Although he was still incredibly sexy, I wasn't anymore pleased to see him either.

I watched both of them in the ring playing 'who's the strongest' and almost gagged. When they finally began to fight I felt my heart beat faster or dread rise up in my stomach, depending on who was winning. And when Jericho interfered and tried to screw over Hogan, I wanted to kill him myself for ruining what could be my greatest plan. But who would have thought that Hunter had principles? Then Taker interfered, only because he probably felt as though Hogan would equal an easier match, but Hogan chased him off. But then he did it, he took away Hunter's precious title and I cheered as loud as I could.

I didn't hang around to see what happened next, I hurried away to start on the next phase of my brilliant scheme.

I rushed backstage using the pass daddy gave me and headed to his office. I wasn't technically breaking that stupid agreement Hunter had made me sign, since I was only going to visit my daddy. I burst through his door and saw him sitting there with a big smile on his face and rushed into his open arms. Hunter was a lowly wrestler again and we were happy. Daddy was even happier since Hunter was now the exclusive property of Smackdown and he could make his life a living hell.

Daddy had just let me go and I'd settled in a chair, when Hogan walked in.

"Vince," he acknowledged. "You wanted to see me?"

Daddy just smiled, "Sure did. However this is my daughter Stephanie. Have you met her yet?"

"Only on the phone," Hogan said turning his attention to me.

I had to admit he was a whole lot more impressive in person. "Nice to meet you," I said in my nice voice, the one I don't use very often.

He looked at me for a moment but then turned his attention back to daddy. "What did you want Vince?"

Daddy stood up and extended his hand, "Just to say congratulations."

Hogan ignored daddy's hand, "Consider it said." Then he turned back to me, "Bye."

"Bye" I said as he left.

"What an asshole," daddy said once the door was shut.

I on the other hand was staring at the door. Daddy's asshole was my ticket back into my birthright. I just had to ingratiate myself a little more with the new undisputed champion. It was the only way I could be certain that my plan would work. I really wish there was something that existed akin to instant schemes, because mine always take too long.

And I am not a patient person.

The End