TITLE: As Luck Would Have It...

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

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

RATING: PG-13.

SUMMARY: Triple H finally meets the woman of his dreams, but there's a problem...

SPOILERS: Raw 02.11.02 and onwards.

TIMELINE: Future

CONTENT: Swearing, Adult Themes

PAIRING: Triple H/Abbie Williams, Stephanie McMahon/Kurt Angle, Steve Austin/Debra

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I started writing this a heck of a long time ago, so a lot of things have changed in the WWE. So things may be a little inconsistent with what is going on now.

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

NOTES: I started to write this long before the brand extension, Stone Cold's departure, Ric Flair turning into a giant evil jerk and Eric Bischoff - son of Satan - showed up. And before Debra and Stone Cold got divorced.

Part 1

{Finally} Triple H thought as he stared down at the package that had just arrived for him via Ric Flair. He knew what was inside his final divorce papers, it was finally all over and he was free. Free of Stephanie and the McMahon's in his personal life, unfortunately he still had to deal with them in his career and so far his now *ex*-wife, was living up to her promise to make his life hell. Even though she'd moved on with Kurt and they were now planning their wedding, she still made time to have her father book him into handicap matches or if he managed to come out unscathed she'd send Kurt after him. He just wished that he could for once meet a woman that didn't come with any sort of complication.

Hunter left his locker room and headed towards Ric's office, he was delayed in getting there. Halfway there he spotted an Angel, he'd never seen any girl look so... perfect and yet confused and he went over to talk to her.

"Hi," he said. "Are you all right?"

The girl looked up and his heart almost stopped beating, she had the most amazing eyes - the kind that looked as though they could look into your very soul.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied. "Just a little lost."

Hunter saw his chance to spend a little time in her company, "What are you looking for?"

"It's not a what, it's a who," she told him staring at him.

"Who?"

She smiled, "Ric Flair."

Hunter smiled back, "I was on my way to his office. Why don't I take you there?"

"Thanks, that would be nice."

They walked along and Hunter realised that he'd forgotten to do something. "By the way, I'm Hunter," he introduced himself.

"I'm Abbie," she replied.

"So Abbie... Seeing anyone?"

Abbie laughed, "That's kind of a personal question considering I've known you less than five minutes."

"Well... I have to ask that before I ask you out," he answered smiling somewhat cockily.

Abbie cocked her head to one side and smiled, "In that case... I'm free as a bird."

Before Hunter got the chance to answer they arrived at Ric's office. "Maybe we should discuss this after we talk to him," Hunter suggested.

"Deal."

They knocked and walked inside. Ric Flair stood up and greeted Hunter, "Triple H. What can I do for you?"

"I want you to book me a match before Vince gets the chance too," Hunter told him.

"Too late," Ric told him. "You have a handicap match against Taker and Big Show."

"Damn it," Hunter muttered.

"Don't worry," Ric said smiling. "I own fifty percent of this company and I say if you can find yourself a partner... it can be a tag match."

"I'll do that," Hunter said getting ready to leave. He turned to Abbie, "I'll see you later."

"Sure," she told him.

After Hunter left Ric Flair turned to her. "And pray tell little lady, what can I do for you?"

"I'm Abbie Williams," she said. "I called earlier in the week about surprising my brother with a visit."

"Right," Ric replied remembering. "We have to wait for Debra to come and get us when she's ready since this whole thing was her idea. Why don't you sit down?" Ric took a seat at his desk and proceeded to say, "Boy is Stone Cold gonna be surprised."

{He's not the only one} Abbie thought as she took a seat.

Part 2

Twenty minutes later Debra walked into Ric's office and Abbie ran straight into her arms. "Hey Deb," she said.

"Hi," Debra replied looking closely at her sister-in-law. "You look great."

"So do you," Abbie replied hugging her again.

Debra broke away and turned to Ric, "Thanks for helpin' to surprise Steve. I hope it wasn't too much trouble?"

"No problem," Ric told Debra winking at her. "It gave me time to impress someone new with all my wrestling stories."

She grabbed Abbie's hand and said, "Steve's gonna want to show ya off to everyone."

"Well she already met Triple H," Ric added. "They came here together."

Debra looked at Abbie, "You came to the arena with Hunter?"

"No, he was nice enough to show me where Ric's office was... that's all," Abbie told her. "I didn't even know who he was until Ric said his name."

"Just do us all a favour and keep away from him," Debra said. "Steve and he don't particularly get along and we don't need another war erupting between the two of them."

"Sure Deb," Abbie agreed, wondering if she'd be able to actually keep this promise.

"Good," Debra said as she led her down the corridor towards Steve's locker room.

None of them noticed the shadowy figure lurking around the corner. After they'd all gone their respective ways, Stephanie McMahon stepped into the light with a big smile lighting her face and an evil look illuminating her eyes.

Hunter was pacing his locker room, he wasn't worried over the tag match since he'd found a partner in The Rock. He was pacing in hopes of taking his mind off of Abbie... he didn't even know her surname, but she was all that he could think about. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he never heard his locker room door opening or the person entering until she stood right in front of him.

"Hi Hunter," Stephanie greeted her ex-husband with fake cheerfulness.

"Stephanie," Hunter replied glaring at her. "What do you want now?"

Stephanie looked at him and then around the locker room, "Come down the world, haven't we?"

Hunter was still angry enough at her to hit her, "Look if you came to talk about old times, you can do us both a favour and leave *now*!"

"Is that any way to talk to the woman who made you?"

"That's funny Steph, 'cause you don't happen to look like my mother," he answered moving away from her.

"Don't worry I just came to tell you something."

Hunter sighed, "What?"

"That girl that you were talking to earlier..." Stephanie started.

"What about Abbie?" he asked curiously. "Is she an actor that you hired?"

Stephanie smirked, "I wouldn't waste my money on you."

"Well..."

"She's Austin's baby sister," Stephanie told him and took great delight in the shock that overwhelmed Hunter's handsome features.

Hunter sat down and looked at his ex-wife, "You're making that up."

"If you don't believe me ask Flair, or better yet why don't you ask Austin," Stephanie replied. She turned to leave and called to him over her shoulder, "Have a nice night."

Hunter just sat there in shock. It figured that the one woman who he had taken an interest in a long time would turn out to be Austin's sister. Why couldn't he just like someone normal? Someone who didn't have an asshole for a father, or a psycho for a brother.

Part 3

Steve was paranoid, even more so than usual. It was all Debra's fault for the past week she'd been sneaking around doing things and talking on the phone to a mystery person. If he didn't know better, he'd swear that she was having an affair. But he did know better and he trusted her, knowing that she'd tell him what was up when the time was right. So he just sat there ready for his match, drinking his usual quota of beer and waiting to go kick some jackasses behind, when the locker room door opened. He turned around to say something to Debra and instead got a surprise.

"Abbie?" Steve shouted getting up and hugging his little sister. "What ya doin' here?"

"I came to watch the infamous Rattlesnake," Abbie teased hugging him back. It had been so long since she'd seen him - at least six months - since her last birthday, just before she'd moved out of state.

Steve looked over his sister's shoulder at his wife, "So this is the result of your mysterious behaviour?"

"Yep," Debra replied smiling.

Steve released his sister long enough to give Debra a kiss. Then he turned to face Abbie, "I gotta show you off."

"You'd better," Debra told him. "She's already had Hunter sniffing around."

"Triple H talked to ya?" Steve asked, looking at her like she was a traitor or something.

Abbie sighed, "He just showed me where to find Ric Flair's office. *That's all*."

Steve nodded, "If you say so, then it's gotta be true. Come on and I'll show ya round."

Debra laughed at the sight of Steve Austin, The Texas Rattlesnake dragging his little sister out of the locker room so he could go and show the other male superstars who she was and to not look or touch.

Hunter limped back to his locker room after the match. Everything had been going fine, Rocky and Taker were going at it as usual and he'd been holding his own (barely) against Big Show, when out of nowhere comes Angle and that damn ankle lock. It was times like this that he wondered why he even bothered to show up for work. He'd barely arrived back and sat down before the door burst open and Test wandered in.

"What do you want?" Hunter asked curtly. They had never been the best of friends and it wasn't any wonder since he had stolen Stephanie away from the guy, on the other hand he should of let Test keep her.

Test smiled his usual smug smile and said, "Wanted to know if you gotten a look at Austin's little sis?" When Hunter didn't answer Test continued, "Man... how did an ugly redneck like him get that for a sister? She is so... wow. It's a pity she's probably a beer drinking yokel like her brother."

Hunter felt himself grow angry over Test's comment and willed himself to get under control. "Is there a point to all this?"

"Nope."

"Then get lost," Hunter told him.

Test smirked, "Sure. By the way congrats on being ankle locked once again by your ex-wife's new toy-boy."

Hunter tried to stand up quickly and grab Test but he scampered away laughing. He sat back down and wondered what to do next. After a couple of minutes he decided that the best course of action would be to head back to the hotel, out of the way of Stephanie and her asshole father and fiancé and also away from Austin's sister, before he did something monumentally stupid and asked her out.

Part 4

Later that night...

Abbie was too wound up to sleep. She just kept thinking about Steve and Debra, her visit and someone her family had made it clear that she shouldn't think about... Hunter. It just wasn't fair; she couldn't even remember the last time she'd, had some attractive guy show an interest in her and when one finally does... he turns out to be the guy who tried to ruin her brother's career. Why did she always have to have rotten luck with guys?

Unable to sleep, she left her room and headed downstairs to see what was going on, maybe take a walk. As she was about to step off of the elevator she bumped right into Hunter.

"Hi," he said politely.

"Hi," she replied. "I'm sorry I bumped into you." She was about to walk on when he grabbed her arm, the contact making her skin tingle.

Hunter looked thoughtful for a moment and then smiled, "It's okay. Actually I kind of wanted to talk to you."

"What about?" Abbie asked as a bunch of hotel patrons pushed past them.

Hunter moved them off to the side, out of everyone's way. "About earlier..."

"It's okay. I know you didn't realize who I was," she cut him off. "I won't hold you to anything."

"That's too bad," Hunter replied. "I was still gonna ask you to dinner."

Abbie just looked at him, the shock evident in her eyes. "Why?" she asked him in a quiet voice.

"It's the strangest thing. I haven't been able to get you out of my head all day and I don't think I want to," Hunter told her smiling.

"Same here," Abbie answered. "Even after I found out you were the enemy."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she replied softly; her cheeks breaking out in a blush.

Hunter lifted her chin up with his hand and gently kissed her lips. "I know the feeling."

Abbie tried to stop thinking, to let herself feel the moment, but she couldn't. She broke the contact and said, "I like you - I do. However my brother hates you and I don't know how to deal with that."

Hunter stared straight into her eyes, "We'll find a way."

Across the lobby waiting outside the hotel's boutique, Kurt Angle got a bird's eye view of the potential lovers. One that he pointed out to his fiancée the second she emerged from her shopping spree.

"Steph, Hunter's got a girl" Kurt said to her as she passed her weighty shopping bags to him to carry.

"What he's paying *another* hooker?" Stephanie asked nastily.

She was pissed that her ex-husband never seemed to lack for female company, while it had taken a long time for Kurt to even ask her out. Not that she could blame him, she had one *failed* marriage behind her and a very public fling with Jericho that also ended extremely badly - emotionally she had been a mess. She also knew exactly who to blame over it all - Hunter - not her father as some know-it-all's had suggested. Stephanie could trace everything, all the bitchiness and her emotional rollercoaster back to the time she had married Hunter, there were times when a small part of her wished that she could turn back the clock and marry Test instead.

"No," Kurt told her. "If I'm not mistaken; and with my Olympic gold medal winning vision, I rarely am. I think that's Austin's sister."

Stephanie looked in the direction Kurt was looking and smiled. "You're right my darling. Hunter is fooling around with the sister of the Rattlesnake."

Kurt looked at Stephanie and saw that evil glint in her eyes and knew what was coming next, she only got that way over one subject. "What are we gonna do about it?" he asked sighing.

"What any other responsible person would do?" Kurt gave her a blank look and she filled him in, "We tell Austin what we saw."

Kurt nodded in understanding, "Great plan."

"As always," Stephanie answered as she dragged Kurt off to the bar for a celebratory drink.

Part 5

"So where are you from?" Hunter asked as they sat down at a table in back corner of the hotel bar. They'd quickly moved away from the elevator and to somewhere more private, only to have to avoid Kurt and Stephanie sitting at the bar.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Good point. So do you still live in Texas?" he asked her trying to recover from his temporary mental stupidity.

Abbie smiled, "Yep. In Steve's house."

Hunter almost choked on the peanut he'd shoved in his mouth when she said that. "Really?" he asked her coughing.

"No," she told him, "Just wanted to see your reaction. I actually just moved to New York about six months ago... that's why Debra arranged for me to come here and visit."

Hunter took her hand and smiled, "I'm glad she did."

"Me too," Abbie replied, oblivious to the world around them.

Stephanie watched as her ex-husband pawed Austin's sister, she was disgusted and somewhat jealous. She wasn't jealous because she still loved him or anything like that, it was that he'd shown Austin's sister more affection in a few short hours than he had to her during their entire marriage.

"Steph?" Kurt said.

She turned back to him, "Yes."

"Are you trying to destroy him because... because you still love him?" Kurt asked even though he was afraid of the answer. Then before she could answer he rushed on, "Because if you do... I-I'll move aside..."

Stephanie cut him off with a kiss, "I don't love Hunter, I haven't for a very long time. You are the *only* man in my heart."

"Then why?"

Stephanie looked at him, "It's complicated."

Kurt knew it was a sore subject but pushed on, "Steph, you can tell me."

"I guess..." Stephanie started, but was interrupted by Jericho.

"Hi ho... and Kurt," Chris said walking up. "What are ya all doin'?"

Kurt looked at him, "Go away. Can't you see I'm having a quiet drink with my fiancée?"

Jericho looked at them, "I can see. Can you see that you are not the only wrestler that's had a drink or *something*, with Stephie?"

Kurt got up ready to fight with Jericho, but Stephanie stopped him. "Ignore him honey," she said. "Lets go to our room."

As they left the bar Stephanie heard Jericho say, "How many has she said that to?"

Since their altercation with Jericho had put them in a really bad mood, Stephanie and Kurt didn't go to their room right away instead they headed to Austin's. They knocked on the door and a few seconds later it was opened by an angry redneck.

"WHAT?!"

"Steve," Stephanie started. "We need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait until morning, princess?" Steve asked. He was tired and wanted to rest up so he could spend the next day with Debra and Abbie.

Kurt butted in, "It's important."

Steve didn't want to but he moved out of the way, "Come on in."

Kurt and Stephanie stalked past and into the small sitting area that was part of the room. Debra walked out of the bedroom and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who their visitors were.

"What on earth are *they* doin' here?" she asked Steve.

Steve shrugged, "They're just about to tell us."

Stephanie started, "It's about your sister."

"What about Abbie?" Steve asked glaring at them suspiciously.

"She's in the bar playing kissy face with Hunter," Kurt said tactlessly.

"WHAT?!"

Part 6

By the time Stephanie had entered Austin's room, Abbie and Hunter had left the bar. In fact he was being a gentleman and walking her to her room, he had what he'd wanted most of all at that moment, her number and knew that despite the fact that Austin would dog him over it... he *was* going to see her again. Before either one of them realised it they were at her door.

"I guess this is goodnight," Hunter told her gently raising her hand and placing a kiss upon it.

"Goodnight... not good-bye?" Abbie questioned. There was still a part of her that didn't expect him to call, not out of fear of her brother but because seeing her wouldn't be worth the hassle.

Hunter looked at her, his eyes showing his conviction. "No, I definitely plan on seeing you again," he told her giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "And soon."

Hunter waited until she had unlocked the door and then turned to walk away. Before she could lose her nerve, Abbie grabbed him and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. When they broke apart Hunter was staring at her.

"What?"

"Are you sure about this?" he asked her, "We haven't known each other a day yet."

"I know enough," was her reply as she pulled him into her room with her.

When Austin arrived at the hotel bar with Stephanie, Kurt and Debra trailing after him (one in concern and two wanting to watch the resulting show), he found nothing. He turned to the two snitches.

"Well?" he said, "I don't see my Abbie... or Triple H."

Stephanie barged past him, "You must be blind. No one could miss Hunter's swollen head." Stephanie looked around and saw two people lost in the shadows. "There they are," Steph pointed them out.

Austin marched off in the direction he'd been pointed, but returned less than a minute later and backed Stephanie into a corner.

"Next time you want to piss me off, little girl," Austin started. "At least pick some look-a-like's. Billy and Chucky don't happen to look anything like Abbie or Triple H."

Austin grabbed Debra's arm and dragged her back to the room, leaving Stephanie and Kurt standing there dumbfounded and being waved at by Billy and Chucky.

The next morning...

Abbie was awoken by a pounding on the door to her room. Seeing Hunter was still asleep, she slipped from the bed and slipped on her robe, then padded over to the door.

"Who is it?" she asked sleepily.

"WHAT?! Who'd ya think it would be?" the booming voice of her brother echoed through the door.

Abbie opened the door a crack and looked out at her brother, "I thought I was meeting you and Debra later on - downstairs."

"You were," Steve replied. "Just thought that you might want to have brekkie with your poor old brother."

"Or maybe I'd like to catch up on some sleep?" she suggested.

"Why? Didn't you sleep well?" Steve asked her suspiciously.

Abbie looked at him, "Strange - uh - bed."

Steve seemed to accept the explanation, "Are ya comin'?"

"Nope," she told him. "I'll be there as I promised before though."

"Okay," Steve said. He looked at her funny for a moment and was about to walk away when she stopped him.

"Steve. Are you okay?"

He shook his head, "That bitch Stephanie McMahon was knocking on my door at midnight."

"Why?" Abbie asked even though she had a fair idea.

"She and that jackass fiancé of hers... they had some cock and bull story about you and Triple H being all romantic in the bar," Steve told her. "Turned out to be Billy and Chucky... pretending not to be romantic in the bar."

"Wow - quite a night."

"I'll see ya in a couple of hours," Steve told her walking away.

Abbie closed the door and leaned against it for a few moments. She needed to wake Hunter up and tell him about what Stephanie and Kurt had done. However as she approached the bed she just climbed in and snuggled up to him, unwilling to destroy the illusion... at least for a little while.

Part 7

When Hunter finally awoke an hour or so later he saw Abbie snuggled up against him and he smiled. For the first time in a long time he felt good and it figured that it would be because of Austin's sister. He knew one thing for certain... nothing and/or no one was going to split them apart, not after he'd finally found her - the woman he'd been waiting for all along - even if it meant being nice to Austin. Which wasn't exactly an appealing prospect. He felt her stir and looked into her eyes as she opened them.

"Hey," he said.

"Mornin'."

He noticed a funny look flash across her face. "You okay? You don't regret what happened do you?"

"NO!" Abbie shouted. She took a second to calm herself before she began to speak again. "It's just Steve was here..."

Hunter cut her off, "If he was here why wasn't I rudely awakened?"

"Will you listen?" Abbie said exasperated.

"Sure."

"Okay, he was mad - really mad..."

"Why?" he asked and then noticed her look. "Sorry."

"It seems that your ex-wife and that guy she's with were leading him on a wild goose chase on a quest to find us in a compromising position," Abbie finally managed to say.

"Steph and Angle... that figures," Hunter replied shaking his head. "Their own sex life is *so* boring that they have to stalk other people and spy on theirs."

Abbie laughed, "Maybe, but..."

"No buts," Hunter told her. "Austin is gonna find out about us eventually. Especially since I intend to spend every spare second I have with you."

"Yeah, but he'd probably take it better if I told him - rather than your ex."

"Good point," Hunter said kissing her gently. "So when are you gonna tell him?"

"Soon," Abbie muttered as she pushed Hunter back down onto the mattress.

"I am *so* pissed off" Stephanie said to Kurt as they waited for their room service to arrive.

Kurt looked up from his morning cartoons and looked at her confused. "About what?"

"Hunter and..."

"Austin's sister," Kurt cut her off. "I thought we'd agreed last night that we should let Hunter have his own life and get on with ours?"

"We did," Stephanie admitted reluctantly. "But I just can't stand to see him happy. After everything he put me through - including getting me tossed out of the WWF... temporarily."

Kurt sighed, "You're right it was only temporary." He got up and walked over to her, putting his arms securely around her waist. "You know," he whispered in her ear. "I think the best way to get back at Hunter - besides me beating him up regularly - is to prove to him how much happier, sexier and better off you are with me, than you were with him."

Stephanie smiled and whirled around to face her love, "You're right. From now on it's just you and me that matters and not Hunter and that trashy Texan slut he's... with."

Kurt kissed her, "It's about time."

He picked Stephanie up in his arms and carried her over to the bed. Neither of them heard the room service porter when he arrived a few minutes later.

"Steve, calm down," Debra told her husband for the twentieth time since he'd returned from Abbie's room.

Steve was screwing a napkin up into a little ball and then ripping it to shreds. "She was hiding something," he replied.

Debra sighed, "As much as you hate to admit it honey... your sister's not a little girl anymore. She can do what she likes."

"It's not the *what* she likes that bothers me," Steve answered sullenly. "It's the *who*."

"So we're back to the Hunter thing again?"

"We never left the Hunter thing," Steve said scowling at the thought of Triple H anywhere near his innocent little sister.

Debra shook her head, "So what? Now Abbie's hiding him in her hotel room? Do you really think that little of her?"

"What do ya mean?"

"That you actually think your sister slept with a guy she's known less than a day," Debra clarified.

"Why not?" Steve added, "You did."

Debra's face turned bright red and she glared at her husband. After a second she stood up and said, "You son-of-a-bitch. I hope she is sleeping with him, just so can watch you have a heart attack. One that will - with any luck, send you straight to hell."

She walked off all huffy and Steve watched her leave, wondering what in the hell was wrong with her. When he saw everyone in the cafe looking at him, he said, "PMS." Then he left in search of a major bunch of flowers and some sappy card verse to memorise to get back in his wife's good books.

Part 8

Beth knocked on her brother's hotel room door a couple of hours later, after he and Debra hadn't shown up for their meeting. After a few minutes it was finally opened by Debra, who looked as though she'd spent the last few hours crying her eyes out, her face was all blotchy and her nose and eyes were red.

"Deb, what's wrong?" she asked concerned for her sister-in-laws welfare.

Debra hugged her and mumbled something inaudible.

"What?"

"I said that you're brother is a complete and utter bastard," she repeated sniffling.

"I know," Abbie replied. "He always has been. So what did he do now?"

Debra walked over to the window and stared out of it, "He called me a slut."

"He did what?"

Debra didn't look at her, but Abbie noticed the tears running down her sister-in-law's face. Finally she began to speak, but her voice was barely a whisper.

"We were talking about you... and he said you were hidin' something in your room and the next thing I know..."

Debra dissolved into tears and Abbie rushed over to her. "Deb, it's okay," she said trying to comfort her. "I'll set Steve straight." {on a lot of things - like how to treat the only woman in the world who would put up with him.}

Ten minutes later, after leaving Debra upstairs crying into her pillow Abbie headed off in search of her old, but not wiser brother. As she suspected she found him in the hotel florists trying to buy flowers to make it up to Debra, she marched in and pulled him out of the shop.

"What the hell..."

"For once in your life, shut your big mouth," Abbie told him. "We need to talk."

Steve nodded, knowing that Abbie must somehow know about the fight he and Debra had, had. "Okay," he agreed.

He followed her back upstairs and into her room.

When they arrived at her room and went inside Steve started straight away. "If Triple H is buggin' ya, I'll..."

"Shut up Stevie," Abbie told him in a voice he had heard only once before, when she'd told him she was moving to New York.

Steve sat down and waited for her to get whatever was there off her chest.

Abbie paced the floor in front of him, "First off, we're talking about how you should treat your wife."

"What?"

Abbie ignored him, "You know that you can call me anything you want, but Debra... She is like the only woman on the whole planet who would put up with you and all your crap. So instead of insulting her you should be down on your knees thanking God for sending her your way and then begging her to forgive your sorry ass."

"You're right," Steve agreed and then got up to leave.

"Hey, I haven't finished," Abbie protested.

"Tough," Steve said exiting the room. "I have to go and beg my wife to forgive my sorry ass."

By the time Abbie had recovered from her shock and made it to the hallway he had already stepped into the lift and was on his way to Debra.

"Damn," Abbie muttered, knowing that she'd have to wait a few hours or more to talk to Steve about her relationship with Hunter.

Debra heard the door open and knew Steve had finally returned. "Go away," she yelled. "I don't want you, your stupid flowers or some crappy verse you copied."

"Good, 'cause I didn't bring ya any" Steve replied.

Debra looked up at him in shock and immediately regretted it. She didn't know what had possessed her to fall in love with such an asshole, it would've been so much simpler to have married some doctor and settled down in the suburbs. But oh no, she had to fall for the Texas Rattlesnake. It just proved that her mama had been right, she always did everything the hard way.

"Why didn't you?" she asked curiously. It was the first time he hadn't tried to win her back over.

Steve looked at her, really looked at her and saw the damage that he had caused. Her face was blotchy, her nose and eyes red from the tears and her voice hoarse.

"Because you deserve better than that," Steve said quietly. "I should've realised that a hell of a long time ago and not after being yelled at by my baby sister." When she didn't speak he continued, "I know I'm a giant jackass and I don't deserve you or your love, but you're my light, my love and my heart. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to ya."

"Oh Steve..."

"Let me finish please," he said. Then went on, "I know I don't say the words a lot and I probably never will, but I do love ya."

"I love you too" Debra told him.

Steve looked into her eyes, "Forgive me?"

"Always."

He opened his arms and Debra went into them, "Don't expect me to all sappy and crap ever again, though."

"I won't."

He leaned down and kissed her and not another word was exchanged for a long time.

Part 9

A couple of hours later Hunter was in his room packing, ready to move on to the next stop on the calendar, when he heard a knock at the door.

"Hang on a second, Abbie," he called.

But he didn't find Abbie at the door, instead he found his not so charming ex-wife.

"What do you want?" he asked impatiently. He was expecting Abbie to arrive and didn't want her to find him in some weird conversation with his ex-wife.

Stephanie barged in and looked around. "Not bad," she commented. "If I'd been daddy I would've made sure you're room was as ugly as you."

Hunter rolled his eyes, "I repeat... what do you want?"

Stephanie looked at him and sighed, "Kurt made me come."

"Why?"

"Because I am suppose to inform you that I don't care what you do anymore... you are no longer a part of my life."

Hunter laughed, "Really?"

"Yep," Stephanie told him. "From now on you can do whatever you like and I don't care... unless you do it to me, Kurt or daddy."

"Steph, I wouldn't even waste my breath doing anything to you, Angle or Vince. In fact I would love it if you three stayed out of my life forever."

Stephanie looked surprised by his outburst, "There was no need to be rude."

Hunter opened the door and said, "Bye Steph."

"Right," Stephanie muttered leaving. "Remember..."

Hunter cut her off by shutting the door in her face. Once alone he smiled, if what Stephanie had said was true - which he doubted - then he was free. He went back to packing his things and waiting for Abbie to arrive.

Abbie stood outside of her brother's room trying to gather the courage to enter. She didn't want to have to deal with his attitude towards her or Hunter, but knew it was better done sooner rather than later. The major problem she could see, besides her brother's rampant paranoia and hatred of Hunter, was that he still though she was five years old and his responsibility and not a grown woman. If she had any hope whatsoever of convincing him to listen to her she would have to convince him of that. She knocked on the door and it was opened by Debra.

"Hey Abbie," Debra greeted.

"Hi. Is Steve here?"

"Sure," Debra answered. "Come in."

Abbie walked inside the hotel and felt nauseous, she had a bad feeling the next five minutes were going to be the worst one's of her life. She saw him sitting on the sofa.

"Hey kid," he greeted her.

"Hi."

Steve took one look at his little sister's face and knew something was wrong. "What's happened?"

Abbie took a deep breath and looked at him. "I have something to tell you... and I really don't think you're gonna like it," she said.

"What exactly about it won't I like?"

"What Stephanie and that guy she's with said... well, I am seeing Hunter," Abbie told him.

Steve sat there calmly and that scared her.

"You promised me you wouldn't," he eventually managed to say.

"I couldn't help it... I really like him."

Steve swallowed and looked right through her. "Are you going to stop seeing him?"

She shook her head, "No."

"Then I no longer have a sister."

"What?" Abbie said confused.

"You're no longer my sister. Get the hell out," Steve yelled.

"Steve?"

"Now!"

Abbie did what he said and ran from the room. She kept going and before she knew what was happening she found herself outside of Hunter's room. She knocked on the door and when he opened it, she threw herself into his arms and started to cry.

Part 10

Hunter was shocked at the tears running down Abbie's face. "What's wrong?" he asked her, as he rocked her in comfort.

"Steve..." she managed to choke out.

Hunter realised that she must have told her brother about them. "What did he say?" he asked her gently, as he rocked her comfortingly.

Abbie sobbed on, "He... said... that... I... w-wasn't... his... s-sister..."

"He what?" Hunter yelled. He knew that Austin wasn't going to be thrilled about them, but he'd never in a million years thought he'd go this far.

Abbie pulled away from Hunter and sat down. "He threw me away like I was nothing," Abbie sobbed. "I didn't mean to hurt him."

Hunter marched over to her, "You didn't do anything wrong. Steve is acting like a shit-head because he didn't get his own way."

"Maybe he should've."

Hunter looked at her, "Do you really mean that?"

"No," she replied. "He's my big brother and he's supposed to love me no matter what."

Hunter sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. "It'll be okay," he told her soothingly. "I promise."

Debra was shocked, she couldn't believe how moronic Steve was acting. "What in the hell is wrong with you? That's your little sister."

"Not as long as she's with *him*."

"Him? You mean Hunter?"

Steve glared at his wife, "Don't talk about him. He tries to kill me... end my career and she fucks him. What kind of sister is she?"

"What kind of brother are you? If you'd blown the whole thing off she'd probably ditch his ass, but you're too stupid to think of that. Now she'll probably marry him and have eight kids just to piss you off," Debra told him walking away.

Steve just sat there grumbling into his beer. "Women," he muttered. "Who needs 'em?"

"Do you want me to beat him up?"

Abbie pulled away from Hunter's comforting arms to stare at him. "No," she said. "He's still my brother. Anyway Deb's probably doing that to him right now."

Hunter moved away from her and walked over to the window. "I guess this means we're over."

"What?"

"Well, you'll want your brother's approval and..."

Abbie marched over to him, "No way. It's my life and I can share it with whomever *I* choose, not who he picks. Right now I want you." When Hunter looked like he was going to interrupt Abbie silenced him with a quick kiss. "Look I've only known you a short time and I'm not saying it will last - we don't know, but I'm not going to let this chance slip by and spend my whole life wondering."

Hunter looked at her, "Okay. Let's give us a chance."

Part 11

Six months later

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Hunter asked Abbie for the fifteenth time since they'd left the hotel.

They were now standing outside of the arena where No Mercy was being held and Hunter was finally due to get his WWF heavy weight title shot. She knew that he wasn't nervous over the match, just over leaving her in the locker room area - where her brother might be - while he was performing. She and Steve hadn't spoken since their fight at the hotel all those months ago and Hunter was nervous about how he might react if he saw her there with him, since this was the first WWF event she'd attended since the disaster..

"I'll be fine," Abbie reassured him. "If I run into the big jackass, he'll probably ignore my existence anyway."

Hunter leaned down and kissed her, "Yeah."

They entered the arena by the talent entrance and immediately ran into Ric Flair, who since being demoted back to being just a wrestler, was Hunter's new manager on the show.

"Ready Trip?"

"Aren't I always," Hunter joked back as they moved along to the locker room.

They were surprised to find that Hunter's locker room was directly across from Steve's. Flair insisted he didn't do it and it was too late to change it, so they'd all just have to deal with whatever the consequences might be. So they simply entered the room, so that Hunter could get ready.

"Damnit," Steve said as he paced the length of his locker room for the millionth time since he and Debra had arrived at the arena. "Why'd they have to put that bastard across the hall from me?"

"I didn't know five minutes ago and I sure as hell don't know now," Debra replied rolling her eyes at her agitated husband. It wasn't that she didn't love and feel bad for her husband, it was simply that she'd had enough of listening to him complain about that *bastard* Triple H stealing his sister away from him.

When the knock at the door sounded, Steve threw it open preparing to yell at whomever was there. When he saw who it was he decided it wasn't worth bothering with.

"Hi," Kurt Angle said entering the locker room. "Did you hear about the card change?"

"What card change?" Steve replied eyeing his one time adversary.

Kurt sighed, "Vince really needs to get some better people. You're no longer having a match against Big Show."

"Then who the fucking hell am I having a match against?"

Kurt frowned at Austin's potty mouth, "You've been moved into the title match. It's now a triple threat. You, me and Triple H."

A sly, sadistic smile floated across Austin's features and Angle gratefully backed away and out of the locker room. After the door was closed her smiled, with Triple H and Austin beating the crap out of each other his title was fairly safe and he didn't even have to really get involved until he needed to. Smiling Angle headed back to his locker room, where his lovely wife Stephanie waited for him.

Triple H on the other hand was totally oblivious to the fact the match had been changed. At least he was until Flair barged into the locker room after a quick conversation with Earl Hebner.

"That asshole!"

"Who?" Hunter asked as he finished pulling on his knee pads.

Ric just shook his head and paced for a second before speaking. "Vince changed the card. The main event is now a triple threat for the title."

"So, he's trying to protect his newest son-in-law," Hunter mused remembering the days of the McMahon-Helmsley era. "Okay, who'd he throw in?"

"Austin."

As his music hit Hunter pushed all thoughts of his girlfriend's family troubles from his mind and focused on the man whom had reached the ring before him. He could tell by the look on Austin's face that the title was the last thing on his mind, if he won it while he got to pound the enemy's face in then it was a bonus.

He approached the ring cautiously, doing his carefully planned out entrance, trying to forget about the eyes burning into him from behind and climbed into the ring. There he stood face to face and eye to eye with the man he had once tried to take out of the game, the man whose sister was the woman he was planning to propose too that very night after the match - title or no title.

Neither man blinked when Kurt Angle's music hit or the crowd chanted "you suck", all they saw was each other and they planned to and wanted to do was pound each other senseless.

The second the bell rang Kurt went to step back, when both men suddenly turned and pounded on him. After using Angle as a punching bag for a few minutes they simply threw him over the ropes and went back to staring at each other.

A moment later Austin threw the first punch and Hunter reciprocated and so forth. Neither man was going to give up in this battle of mind and body and so it continued.

Backstage Stephanie McMahon-Angle watched in horror as her ex-husband and Austin beat up the love of her life, her new husband, the father of her unborn child and then carelessly toss him from the ring. She'd told her father that a triple threat was a mistake and that putting Austin in it was just gonna make it even worse, but he'd told her she was just being hormonal - that everything would be fine. Well, it was barely five minutes in and already Kurt was lying on the outside of the ring unconscious. Getting up she wandered back into the locker area in search of the one person who could put an end to all this fighting, Abbie Williams.

Abbie had of course wandered across the hall to her sister-in-law's, the second Steve had gone to the ring. She missed Debra almost as much as she had missed Steve. Talking on the phone occasionally just wasn't the same as it used to be, because she constantly had to stop herself from asking about Steve and she knew Debra was holding back from the conversation by not mentioning him. But here at the arena they simply sat side by side and watched the men they loved do battle, neither saying a word.

In the ring the fight was momentarily stopped as Kurt tried desperately to climb back in and defend his precious title, but the other two simply took a break from pounding each other to pound him, before returning to their fight. Neither man wanted to be the first to give in, like it was a crime or something. Before too long the finishing manoeuvres started going off, Hunter pedigreed Austin who kicked out and Austin stunned Hunter who managed to get his foot to the rope. And that's how it kept on going.

Stephanie was not a happy woman, she had searched everywhere she could think of for Hunter's little bitch and still hadn't found her. Her last chance was that maybe Debra had seen her, but she wasn't holding her breath over it. After all if the little bitch wasn't speaking to her brother, what were the odds she was still pals with her sister-in-law. She knocked on the door and a few moments later Debra answered.

"What do you want?"

"I was looking for Abbie," Stephanie replied nervously.

"Abs, there's someone here to see you," Debra called out.

Stephanie was surprised when Abbie immediately came out, but she wasn't surprised by her reason. "Sorry Deb, I just can't watch that anymore. I don't want either of them hurt."

"Then stop it," Stephanie implored. "Go out to the ring and stop it."

"Hey, I don't know that much about wrestling, but I do know a triple threat is no disqualification," Abbie answered.

"Then help Kurt."

Abbie shook her head, "I can't interfere on anyone's behalf. Both Hunter and Steve earned the shot at the title and at each other. They need to fight it out." Then she simply closed the door in Stephanie's face.

Hunter couldn't go on much longer, but he also knew he wasn't going to surrender to Austin or Kurt. This was about so much more than a title, it was now about who was the better man. The pain was excruciating, his quad was throbbing and he knew that somehow his head had been busted wide open, but all he could do was block it out and focus on beating the other two. The only consolation he had was that Kurt and Austin were just as bloody and beaten up.

Hunter was surprised when Angle seemed to step out of the fight and somewhere in his battle weary mind he knew he was only doing so to allow Austin and he to beat each other to a pulp. However a thought briefly entered Hunter's mind - what if Angle was actually putting himself out of harms way? What if Kurt loved that bitch wife of his and was willing to toss the title away for the woman he loved sense of mind? Could he do that for Abbie?

He knew that he couldn't, if he did that he'd be giving up his dreams and giving into the man who had hurt the woman he had come to love more than life itself. So no matter what he had to go on.

Part 12

Abbie was freaking out and she could see so was Debra, the two men that they loved were beating each other to bloody pulps and there was no relief insight. At least Angle had been smart enough to stay out of the ring and simply watch. Her earlier words to Stephanie reverberated through her head, 'I can't interfere on anyone's behalf. Both Hunter and Steve earned the shot at the title and at each other. They need to fight it out.' Why hadn't she gone down to the ring at least attempted to put an end to carnage that was unfolding right in front of her eyes? In her heart of hearts she knew why, if she had managed to convince one of them to quit then there would be mountains of resentment. Resentment over the loss of the title - their precious, resentment over losing to the other and last but not least, resentment that she had been the cause of it all. She just couldn't do that to either one of them, she loved them both too much.

Turning away from the screen, Abbie shuddered to think of the condition that Hunter would be in after it was over. However if he won the title or not she didn't care as long as he was fine. She just couldn't understand why both Hunter and Steve seemed to love this business *so* much, from what she had seen it was simply blood and pain. Yet both of the men in her life were willing to risk everything, their health and even their very lives to be out there.

"Abbie... I think you'd better look," Debra's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Abbie turned back to the screen and saw that Hunter was down and so was Steve. Neither of them were moving and suddenly Abbie was very concerned for both of them.

"What happened?" she asked Debra.

"The usual with those two," Debra informed her sister-in-law. "One of the idiots grabbed a barbed-wire two-by-four and the other idiot grabbed a chair and that was the result."

Suddenly movement caught her eye, but it wasn't Hunter or Steve. "What the hell is Angle doing?"

"Keeping his precious title," Debra answered smirking. "Steve is gonna to be *so* pissed."

"So is Hunter, especially since Angle pinned him," she said. "However I don't care. I just want him safe - both of them safe."

"Me too," Debra said getting up. "I'm gonna go to the training room and wait for them to bring back my husband. You coming?"

"Sure."

When Hunter came around the first thing he saw was Abbie sitting by his side. However when he tried to sit up a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him and made him lay back down.

"Careful honey," Abbie said. "You got whacked with that chair pretty hard."

"Tell me that Austin didn't win," was all he could say.

"Angle kept the title," she told him. "Stephanie has been dancing up and down the corridors telling everyone she's married to the champ."

Hunter groaned, but not from the physical pain, "We'll never hear the end of it."

"Well... there's always next month," Abbie told him smiling.

Hunter couldn't help but smile back at her, she was the best thing he had ever had in his life and the one thing he wasn't willing to gamble losing for any reason. "I wanted it to be so perfect," he muttered under his breath as he looked around the white, sterile training room.

"What are you mumbling about? Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No," he replied sitting up, this time managing it without the dizziness. "I wanted to ask you something, but I can never seem to find the right time, place or circumstance. I don't exactly have the ring with me and I can't get down on one knee, but I need to ask you this right now."

Abbie's breath caught in her throat as she realised just what Hunter was about to do.

"Abigail Christina Williams. I know I don't deserve you and I probably never will, but I can't live without you by my side and I never want to try. I love you so much. Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Abbie hugged him close, "Yes. I love you too."

Hunter pulled back out of the hug and kissed her gently on her lips, sealing the vow that they had just made. The moment was soon broken when the trainer walked in to check Hunter over for any injuries sustained during the match.

An hour later as they were preparing to leave the arena, they bumped straight into Steve and Debra. Both couples were silent and it was only when Hunter started to lead Abbie away that Steve spoke.

"Abs?"

Abbie stopped dead in her tracks, "What?"

Steve walked over to his baby sister, "This is the only time I'm gonna say this. I'm a asshole."

"No arguments here," Hunter muttered under his breath.

Steve shot Hunter a dirty look, but kept his focus on his sister. "I'm sorry I threw you out of my life, it was a big mistake and I'd do anything to make it up to you. Please Abs, you're the only family I got."

"Can you accept that Hunter isn't going anywhere. You get me, you get him - a total package deal here," Abbie said.

"Sure."

Abbie threw herself into Steve's open arms. "Love you, Jackass."

"Love ya too, Brat."

Abbie pulled away and went immediately back into Hunter's arms. "Are you sure you can take this, Steve?" she asked. She didn't want to get her brother back only to have him go mental and tell her to get lost later on.

"Not a problem. Besides, it's not like you and he are getting married or something."

Abbie and Hunter exchanged a meaningful look, but neither said a word. After all they had plenty of time to let Steve in on their little secret - an entire lifetime.

The End.