TITLE: Laughter

AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe

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

RATING: PG-13.

SUMMARY: Kurt Angle's feelings on Rebellion.

TIMELINE: Rebellion 2001.

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

NOTES: Kurt's POV.

Laughter. That's all I can remember when I think back to Rebellion. I can't remember any of the sights I saw or what I ate or where I stayed, just the laughter. Well that and the obvious mockery and distain from my so-called buddies in the Alliance, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shane McMahon. Hanging out with Stone Cold in Alliance was just a repeat of the humiliation I suffered when we were best buddies with Vince instead of Shane. Once again Stone Cold had gotten there first and buddied up to a McMahon, leaving me out in the cold.

I can remember it clearly, we were sitting at a 'round' table. There was Shane, Stone Cold and Debra… I don't why Debra was there, but she always was around… like a bad smell you can't get rid of. Anyway I made a simple comment and I admit in retrospect that it came out sounding supremely stupid and made me look like the biggest idiot on the face of the earth, but they were supposed to be my friends.

But if they were truly *my friends*, wouldn't they have laughed with me and not at me? Wouldn't they have gone along with my dumb comment? Well, they didn't. Shane McMahon just sat there on his billion dollar behind and let Stone Cold belittle me, mock me and tell me that 'I was making it hard for him to like me.' Like that was possible, me… *Mr. Popularity*… everyone likes me. What made things worse was that was when Shane joined in the laughter, he laughed at me the Olympic hero, at my humiliation that was once again at the hands of Stone Cold Steve Austin. I have never felt *so* bad, not even during the now infamous 'cowboy hat incident.'

Even after they did all that to me I still did my part, I still went out to the ring and saved Stone Cold's precious WWF title. I smashed The Rock in the head with a steel chair for them didn't I? The only acknowledgement I got for my help was a hug. A lousy stinkin' hug from Stone Cold. I don't get a shot at a title, I don't get a 'Kurt Angle appreciation night.' No, I get a hug.

I am so glad that I was actually a spy for Mr. McMahon and not really on their side. At least I got the satisfaction of destroying all of Shane's hopes and dreams for his precious company. And mark my words one day Austin will get his, I'll make sure of that. Do you know what? I'm not sorry I was a turncoat, because it's not like they were my friends… were they.

THE END