TITLE: Revelations (#7 in The Road Back Series)

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

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

RATING: PG-13 (swearing).

SUMMARY: Stephanie works on her plan.

TIMELINE: After Judgement Day 2002.

SPOILERS: Survivor Series 2001 onwards.

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

As I sit backstage I feel nervous, something that has never and I mean never happened to me before at least not in conjunction with a show. Usually I feel so confident that I just put on one of my little revealing outfits and prance down to the ring, ignoring the chants of slut and ho. But now I don't feel confident or anything remotely close to it, consequently I am almost covered from head to toe in a sedate business suit - I don't really even look like me anymore in it. I even snuck into the building early so I wouldn't run into anyone; I just don't feel ready to face their censure or funny looks or their laughter.

So since I arrived *so* early I have had to wait hours for Hulk to show up. The truth is this is the thing I am most nervous about being the business manager of Hollywood Hulk Hogan, the immortal one. The crowds love him and hate me. My daddy hates him and loves me. Definitely a contradiction. My daddy will definitely *not* be happy about my new partnership, but for once it doesn't matter. I may be going against his wishes, it's not like it's for the first time, but he should take comfort in the fact that at least this time I'm not out to put him out of business or going to marry someone he dislikes just to piss him off. The WWE is in my life's blood, just like Shane's, mom's and daddy's, and this was simply my way to return.

Suddenly the door flings open and I duck around behind the door, unsure of whom it is. It's just Hulk and for a man who has been spreading rumours of his retirement for the last week, he seems remarkably smug.

"Steph?"

"Yeah," I say popping out of my hiding place.

Hulk looks at me strangely, "Why were you behind the door?"

He keeps staring at me and I think part of him expected a guy to miraculously appear also. "I was hiding."

"Why?"

"You said you wanted to keep me a secret," I replied feeling self conscious and slightly ridiculous. "Remember my appearance is supposed to throw my daddy and Taker off balance…"

"I remember. I just didn't expect you to hide or anything," he told me as he sat down on the cheap uncomfortable wooden bench my dad had assigned to his locker room.

"Okay, so when they come to interview I'll stand out in the open then shall I?" I say sarcastically. "It'll take about ten seconds to get back to daddy that I'm at the arena and in *your* locker room."

"There's a new guy," Hulk said, "He won't recognize you."

"I hate to sound full of myself or anything…" I say, "But *everyone* recognizes me. I am the slut daughter of Vince McMahon."

Hulk just looks at me again and I've gotta say sometimes when he does that he makes me extremely uncomfortable.

"You're not a slut."

I just shake my head, "There's a whole world full of fans that will disagree with you."

"They don't know you," Hulk argues.

"And either do you really," I reply closing myself into the bathroom.

I waited in the bathroom until Hulk had changed from his street clothes and into his ring gear. It wasn't a long time since he's a guy and they can change clothing by osmosis. I was extremely embarrassed at my outburst, I thought I'd gotten past being upset by what other people think of me - I guess I haven't and I just had to have an outburst in front of my new client, jeez I am such a genius. I used the rest of my time in there to look at myself closely in the mirror and wonder if I really am changing or if I'm just the same selfish woman who married a guy and then preceded to wreck everything we had by trying to be the dominant one and crushing my husband to my will… and failed at it. I am definitely not the master manipulator of my family; no daddy still has that title.

I come out of the bathroom and Hulk and I sit there and go over our final plan. I'm supposed to wait here in the locker room until after my daddy makes an appearance and it's a sure thing he will and then… Well there will be a small family reunion. Hulk leaves for the ring and I make sure my attention is riveted to the monitor, so as not to miss my cue.

As soon as my daddy's music hits I head for the door and run straight into my soon to be ex-husband. Of all the rotten luck to have, especially right at this time.

"Stephanie?"

Hunter looks shocked and I can't blame him. Unfortunately I know how his mind works and he thinks that I'm *involved* with Hogan… I am but in a totally different way to what his dirty mind thinks.

"You and Hogan?" He looks like he's going to be sick. I don't know if it's because I'm still technically married to him or because Hulk is older than me. Maybe he thinks Hogan is too good for me?

"Not the way *you* think?" I reply sneering at him.

"Oh and what other way is there when you're involved?" he replies.

I do know I deserve it, but it still hurt. "I'm Hulk's new business manager."

"Like you were Kurt's?"

"No," I tell him, "This time it's strictly business."

Hunter just stares the wording was not lost on him. "Why? Did Hogan get some taste and turn you down?"

"I never even offered."

"You?" Hunter asks in obvious disbelief.

"Not everything is about sex, Hunter," I tell him.

Hunter laughs, "That's a good one Steph." I try to walk on, but he grabs my arm. "What are you doing here anyway? You aren't supposed to have anything to do with the WWE. Remember our agreement - You lose, you leave and you most definitely lost."

"You should've worded your little contract that you had me sign better," I say. "I'm not supposed to have anything to do with the WWF and since the name change… well we're not the WWF anymore, are we?"

"Fuck."

"Don't worry Hunter. You keep out of my business and I'll definitely stay out of yours."

Hunter just stands there shell-shocked and I breeze on pass to the way to my future.

I make it to the staging area, past all the curious glances, in time to wait for my cue; I climb the stairs and beginning the nerve wracking wait. I listen carefully to the talk going on out there.

"Vince, you're a stupid asshole. If you'd let me finish I wasn't going to announce my retirement," Hulk says as my daddy's face becomes a mask of confusion. "I was going to introduce my new business manager."

"Who is it?" my daddy sneers, just before my music hits.

As I walk down the ramp past my daddy, I see the look in his eyes is one of anger and not betrayal. I'm glad, this means I may have to explain myself but I'm not gonna be drummed out of the family.

Hulk continues as I walk on down, "I think you know her. Your daughter… Stephanie McMahon."

As I climb into the ring, I see my daddy rush off of the stage, probably straight to the phone to tell mother about what I've just done… not that she won't have just seen me do it, or daddy and Stacy earlier in his office. But I don't care about that, all I care about is that I am back and this time I'm not going anywhere. I'm BACK!

The End